Hikariness
by Starlet36
Summary: Bakura was used to punishments. He could handle Hell, the Gods, and he could certainly handle a wussy expharaoh, but this, THIS was beyond him...a hikari GIRL? Now, with living with his insane hikari girl he might just want to be GOOD...ewww.
1. The Perfect Punishment

**First** off thank you reviewers who reviewed my last story; it really brightened my Christmas!

**Second** off, to readers who are thinking 'oh this is going to be like the first story only with different characters' then you are completely wrong. It will be completely different.

**Third**, for those of you reading for a good laugh, you probably won't until the third chapter. Sorry, but it will take a while to set up the whole story and the plot.

This is the sequel to "A Hikari Girl Equals Chaos" as you may probably have already guessed. For new readers DON'T WORRY you don't _have_ to read the first story to understand this story, but if you're looking for a romantic slightly humorous story then you should read the first, A Hikari Girl Equals Chaos with Yami and his new teenaged hikari GIRL Carla.  
Oh yeah I mixed Greek God mythology in here because I know them better than Egyptian ones. Hades is pronounced Hay-dees

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh and this is all FICTION. F-I-C-T-I-O-N. So please don't get offended.

Enjoy.

* * *

One of the most powerful Gods, Ra, the Sun God was sitting in his almighty chair up in heaven. And being one of the most powerful Gods had its perks. He was looking over the magnificent view of the Sun through his glass windows. In fact those windows were half the room, and Ra loved looking through them. It was rare that he was given a moment's peace; someone was always complaining on how there was no sun, or too much Sun nowadays. This generation of humans was such a whiny group.

So of course, Ra was happily enjoying the scenery when-

"Ra, there's a problem!"

Ra sighed; he knew it was too good to be true. He swiveled his chair around to meet this angel who dared to interrupt him. Ra's eyes widened though when he saw who it was: his brother Hades who was looking none too happy at the moment. Now, Hades was the God of the Underworld, or if you wanted to put it in Catholic terms, hell. He was a darkly handsome man, with black hair and beautiful, intense gray eyes framed with long lashes.

He was looking rather pissed though with his hair tousled, and his splendid black and silver robes were disarrayed.

"What is it Hades?" Ra said alarmed, forgetting to be annoyed. Hades rarely came up to heaven; he had explicit orders from their father, The Great God, to watch over his realm, and well, when The Great God asked you to do something, you followed it to the letter.  
"It's one of my level 9 souls. He's escaped again, and is wreaking havoc all over Sector 12, freeing some of the worst cronies you can imagine." Hades said wincing as he remembered the destruction. It would take years to repair.  
"Who is he? I'd expect these actions from a level 10 soul, but not a level nine one." Ra said curious.  
"It's that damn Egyptian tomb robber _Bakura_!" Hades burst out, irked. He spat Bakura's name. He continued, "I want something done about him Ra, he's a menace! Giving ideas of escape to the damned souls, it's not healthy!"

Ra put his fingers thorough his unnaturally neon red hair in a weary way. He had a feeling what Hades wanted him to do, and he didn't like it, not one bit.

"He was one of those special cases…A Yami right? (Hades nods). Hmmm…are you _sure_ there's no other way we can handle him, I mean what if he gets paired up wrong, or if he doesn't chang-"

"You promised me." Hades said shortly referring to a promise made eons ago…

* * *

Flashback ummm…eons ago?

"Ok boys it's time to decide who gets what realm," said the Great God with his splendid white attire. He continued, "With your 500th birthday I declare that you are officially old enough to rule a realm…But I see we're having a little trouble here aren't we?" the Great God continued with a frown. Only a Great God could say that blowing up the dinosaurs into extinction and ruining decades of evolution was a "little trouble".  
"I want heaven-" said Ra.  
"But I don't wanna be the ruler of Hell!!!!" cried Hades.  
"Well deal with it! I'M GETTING HEAVEN!!!!!"  
"We'll see about that. Let's see how heaven looks with no people in it! Die dinosaurs!"

And that's when the trouble began.

"Now boys, I've thought up a solution that's been used for centuries, my father used it, his father used it…every God uses this to solve their major problems! It's a complex game that will test your wit, courage, mind, and body…(dramatic pause)...It is RPS. (both boys gasped) but it is very dangerous, I think your mother taught you how to-" said he Grea God, interrupted by his over-eager children. The children had become very serious at the words "RPS" and began to play the dangerous game (of courage, mind wit...oh you get the picture) that would determine the ultimate ruler…

"Rock, paper, scissors shoot!" chorused the two children. Hades groaned as he saw his 'scissors' crushed by Ra's 'rock'. Damn. Now he was going to ruler of the Underworld/hell/whatever.

Ra saw Hades gloomy, downtrodden look and being a cheery God (he _is_ the Sun God) he decided to cheer his brother up.  
"Don't worry Hades I promise that if you ever need my help, I'll give it to you." Ra said cheerily.  
"Promise?" asked Hades, suddenly giving a sly smile. His brother could be so stupid sometimes.  
"Promise." said Ra, not knowing that he'd just bind himself to a contract that he'd later regret…  
End Flashback

* * *

'Stupid, stupid promise!' Ra thought. He was looking through a folder labeled "100 Most Innocent Children Between the Ages 13-15". And that was exactly what he was searching for. Bakura was going to need a really innocent "good" child to counteract his darkness.

"Wait tell me why does it have to be a teenager?" asked a nosy Hades while he waited for the guards to catch Bakura.  
"One, Bakura in his dark unstable state, might kill a child that young. So if there's a teenager there's a more likely chance that he might not-"  
"He abused Ryou you know" Hades cut in.  
"So? They became friends…eventually."  
"So basically you could be sacrificing her."  
"Yup."

And that ended it. No one said these Egyptian Gods were merciful.

"So what was the second reason?" asked Hades as they went through the list, each one unsatisfactory.  
"Oh well you know how my last teenaged hikari pairing was a success…they even fell in love so I thought…" said Ra beginning to get uncomfortable.

"You thought there might be a fool's chance of them falling in love?!" asked Hades incredulous. Bakura and love did not go in the same sentence.

"Well…at least become friends!" said Ra definitely uncomfortable.

"…That is the _stupidest_ idea I've ever heard. Even I know that even you're oh so successful new pairing is having some problems. Even the hikari's fateline is uncertain! And everyone knows what impossible hopes you have for her." said Hades.

Ra squirmed in his seat wishing Hades could just hole himself up in Hell for another millennium and never comeup to bug heaven. But then a light bulb went off. His face became calculating.

"How 'bout we bet on it. If you win where Bakura ends up eternally hating the hikari and kills her…I'll let you rule heaven for a week…But if I win where he becomes friends, possibly lovers with his hikari…I get to redecorate Hell AND I want your dog Cerberus." said Ra firmly. Hades liked the idea of ruling heaven but having RA redecorate his realm. No. Ra liked sunny, bright things and Hades wouldn't be surprised if he'd walk to find Hell covered in frilly bows and other cheery stuff. Ugh. But what Hades didn't like was the possibility of losing his precious dog Cerberus, the vicious three-headed dog who guarded the gates of Hell. There was yet to be a soul who had ever escaped Hell with Cerberus guarding those gates. He was heaven was tempting; he could make quite a few adjustments…

"Fine. I accept…(Ra smirks; he was going to get a dog soon)...Now how about this Mark Swinseltimerkid. Looks promising: age 15, 23rd most innocent-"

"No. Look closely, he's been home schooled, and doesn't even know what's a woman's...errr never mind. Basically his innocence is just pure ignorance."

Hades sighed; none of these children were working out. And he refused to have Bakura in his realm for another second.

Suddenly, Ra spiedthe cornerof a paper that had been hidden in a front pocket. He stopped what he was doing, and being curious, got the paper out. Hmmmmm…oh yes, this was perfect.

"Hades I think I just found our hikari. Nina Thompson, now Nina Sky; age 14; formerly 15th innocent-"

"Wait," Hades interrupted, "you say formerly."

"Yes, formerly. She lost her innocence at five when she saw her abusive father…(Ra pauses and reads the paper carefully) Oh my. He's definitely one of your souls Hades. (Hades nods remembering his level 10 soul; oh he was a bad one)"

"But wait Ra, she isn't eligible anymore is she?" Hades asked remembering something.

"One would think…but with her adoptive father and adoptive brother she's regained enough of her "goodness" to be _just_ "good" enough to be a hikari for Bakura." Ra said, already starting to get the preparations ready. Hades was at first dubious at the idea of a GIRL hikari, but then he imagined Bakura's reaction at the news and smiled wickedly. Perfect.

"Guards bring Bakura in; we're ready for him." Hades said into an intercom.

A few seconds later no less than ten guards came in. Two were each holding an arm of Bakura even though his wrists were hand-cuffed. The rest surrounded Bakura and most of them had their guns and knives pointed somewhere at Bakura's body…just in case.

"Why, hello Bakura." said Ra happily polite as usual.

"Bakura." said Hades simply. It was a fool's chance to think he'd actually greet the spirit who'd just destroyed half his realm.

Bakura had beautiful, spiky, white hair half covering his face. He sat in a plush red chair as the guards left. He lifted his head up and pushed the white locks out of his eyes. Now, his ghostly beige skin (a/n: he'd never regain his bronze skin; it was part of his punishment), his spiky hair that looked as sharp as knives, combined with the jagged scar on his left cheek made the former tomb robber look very dangerous. Bakura glared at the Gods with his dark chocolate eyes. There are very few mortal spirits who dare look at Gods directly, let alone glare at them so Ra was surprised. But Ra didn't think much of it; maybe Bakura was just a little shy!

"Now I'm being polite here Bakura, aren't you going to say hello?" said Ra with a happy smile.

Bakura made a mental note of where Ra should stick his polite attitude. He knew full well that Ra could hear his thoughts.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that Bakura," said Ra curtly. His face lost all trace of politeness and cheeriness.

You do that, thought Bakura with a smirk.

Ra was fighting the urge to growl.

"Well, Bakura you were called here for a reason. You've been wreaking havoc all over hell: (Bakura smiles here), giving your fellow damned souls rebellious ideas, tainting the molten lava pool, injuring the guards, dying Hades' hair pink for a week (now Bakura's grinning. Hades: TT) and that's just to name a few! So you understand now why you're going to be punished." Ra said, smirking as Bakura's face lost its grin.

"We're going to reform you, and since your aura seemed to be its bluest when you were with Ryou…I'm going to give you another hikari!" Ra said.

Bakura paled. Oh no. No, anything but this.

"But not just any hikari, I give you Nina!" Ra said showing Nina's picture to Bakura.

Bakura turned white as he saw the picture. He was horrified; he could handle hell, he could handle the Gods, but this, _this_, was beyond him.

"But she's a **GIRL**!" Bakura cried. Hades smirked; _this_ was heaven.

"Maybe you should've thought of that before you ruined my realm Bakura." Hades said. Bakura changed tactics.

"I'll make her wish she was dead. I'll carve into her precious skin until she screams and I won't regret it." Bakura growled, pulling out his curved dagger to prove his point. The metal gleamed in the light, almost mocking the Gods like its master.

"No you won't. Then you'll never see Amane." said Ra quietly.

And with that Bakura was stopped. His face softened for the briefest of moments. Amane: his beautiful, beloved, little sister whom he hadn't seen in centuries. He'd promised he'd protect her, that they'd be together forever…and he'd failed. It was even his fault she was dead…Ra smiled as he watched Bakura's reactions; he wouldn't dare hurt Nina now.

"It's because of her and Ryou that you're only a level 9 damned soul. I still believe there's hope for you to change. Don't screw this up." Ra said kindly. Well as kind as these Gods could be.

Bakura merely grunted, muttering, "I'm stuck in a room with some wussie Gods; Earth's looking pretty good now."

This was the last straw for Ra. _Wussie?! _

"Well if you want to leave so badly…" Ra said his voice dangerous. He made a motion with his finger and the Millennium Ring came flying over its owner head to Ra. Ra made a few tapping motions on the spokes of the Item, and smiled. It was done.

Bakura felt a weird, tingly sensation pass through him. He felt complete. And he actually _liked_ the sensation…Damnit.

"Maybe you'll even like her Bakura…" Ra said with a wink. Before Bakura could respond with a scathing retort Ra continued,

"Buh-bye Bakura!" Ra opened a box and pressed a red button aggressively. Bakura felt the floor drop from him as he plummeted downward to Earth. He instinctively yelled for a second.  
Ra gave a smirk; he made sure Bakura's last words he heard were  
_Who's the wussie now?_

Bakura at the moment (falling like a white comet to ?):  
Bakura was thinking about Amane, his new hikari, and how all his evil deeds had lead up to him falling scarily out of the sky, like he was booted out of heaven.  
One would think he would learn to avoid with these ::ahem:: interesting God experiences by acting a little nicer…

Nah.

* * *

So there's the first chapter…I could really use some suggestions!I'm iffy on the title so if anyone can tell think of a better title than I'm all ears…(hey one of my ideas for the title was Hikariness: Oh what a chaotic subject or Hikariness...Is That Even a Word?...so i need help)  
Summary of Ch. 2: Bakura meets hikari…Bakura considers suicide and murder.  
Happy New Year! R & R!  
-Starlet36 


	2. Good Meets Evil

Thank you for the reviews: they were insightful!

But I'd like to answer some questions…

**To Demon:** Thank you for pointing that out to me but the reason I chose Hades is that I had to take Latin (a/n: really I had to, no choice; the school required two years!) and my most memorable part was on the Greek Gods so I _know_ more about Hades than Osiris. But thank you for your comments and I hope you review this chapter!

**To Silently Broken: **Yes, you caught me! I DID use the whole blue aura equals goodness, and red aura equals evilness concept from 'The Wish List'. I should've put that down in the first chapter. I don't know if Amane was Ryou's sister in the manga series but I just used it because I just heard it in other Bakura fanfics. (next time I'll do my research!) But if it is truly confusing I'll think on changing it. Thanks for your review!

**To Maistwin:** Hmmm…I like Hikari Lessons…I'll think about it. Thanks for the suggestion!

Note: I will answer practically any question you have in your review…except if it gives away the plot or something…Now onwards to the next chapter! (Me: galloping aimlessly and then run smack into a pole…sadly this HAS happened to me before…my friends won't let me forget it)

Disclaimer: Don't. own. (it's short and sweet: perfect!)  
((Bakura to Nina)) (((Nina to Bakura)))

* * *

"Out of all the people you should fear…fear not the talkative one: he is predictable and tells all his secrets…fear the quiet, shy ones. They listen. They are dangerous."  
-quote based on 'Trickster's Choice' by Tamora Pierce

"Is that the last box honey?" asked Mr. Robert Sky, calling upstairs to "honey". The honey in question was in fact his adopted daughter, Nina Sky. She was currently holding the slipping box of her possessions. With a grunt she let the box fall unceremoniously with a _thump_ on her newly transported blue bed. Wiping beads of sweat from her forehead she replied with a yell,

"YES! But you should probably ask Adam if he did HIS!" She said this while making a meaningful look at Adam. There were boxes labeled "Adam" on the bottom step of he stairs.

"Oh yes I almost forgot! Adam I want to come back inside with all those boxes in your room!" cried Nina's father. 17-year old Adam glared at his little sister. (he had been lazing about in his room)

"You little tattle-tailer. You'll pay for that…" he growled as he picked up the boxes. Nina smiled innocently back at him with her beautiful blue eyes taunting him. There were advantages at being the youngest and 'Daddy's little girl'.

But just to be on the safe side she dashed into her room of sanctuary and locked the door. She caught a glimpse of herself as she went past her gold encrusted mirror. It had been two days of car traveling since she'd really got a good look at herself in her mirror. Long straight black hair that was beautiful in its healthy soft silkiness. (Though currently it was messy from the traveling) She glanced at her prim rosy lips as her gaze past her flawless beige skin and pert little nose…to her eyes. Here her eyes softened.

Mother's eyes…

Anyone who knew her well enough would know that Nina's eyes were truly the 'window to her soul'. A pale blue colorwhen she was scared or surprised, a bright azure when she was normal and happy, and stormy oceanic blue when she got dangerously angry. That was when she got scary. And that had only happened once.

Father…

She growled remembering him, and her slender hands clenched into fists. Oh how he haunted her: it had been 8 years since he'd been gone and yet even in Hell she couldn't escape him. Tears filled her eyes remembering in perfect clarity that day.

No! Nina shook her head in frustration. She had promised herself she wouldn't cry about this anymore. Nina wiped any tears that threatened with the back of her hand hurriedly. She had to move on.

"Nina! Adam! Come down it's dinnertime!" yelled the teenagers' father.

(a/n: if you haven't figured out yet Mr. Sky's wife is deceased BUT she is NOT Nina's mom…Nina is ADOPTED. So yes, not only has Nina lost her biological mother. Nina doesn't even have an adopted mother.)

Nina, glad to be away from the mirror that was evoking unwanted memories, came rushing down. But before she could take more than a step-

"Why hello munchkin!" said her dear older brother with false cheeriness. He had a firm hold on the back of her shirt with one hand while he brushed a lock of dark brown hair out of his face with the other. Uh-oh, thought Nina as she looked up into his merry hazel eyes that concealed the maniac. It was payback time.

"Don't call me that." Nina automatically retorted. She regretted it instantly.

"Does the little munchkin not like her name…too bad!" Adam said as he gave her the ultimate noogie. Ow. Nina winced as her head felt a) jackhammered and b) dizzy. She walked down the stairs and sat down at the opposite side of the dinner. She dared her father to comment on her now afro-style hair. He didn't take the dare. Yet he struggled to keep a straight face.

Later after a filling dinner of penne pasta…

"So kids…I hope you guys are all ready for school tomorrow!" said a casual Mr. Sky. He might as well has been talking about the weather.

"WHAT?!" bellowed the two teenagers.

(unfazed) "Why, of course. It's almost spring break, I bought your books-"

"That's right Dad. It's almost SPRING BREAK. The students should be doing EXAMS." said Adam, upset. He'd thought he'd be going a month without school when the family moved to Florida from Chicago.

"So? This way you'll get to know your new classmates, and begin to know your new school."

"Is this even allowed Daddy?" asked Nina. Maybe, just maybe this was all some twisted joke.

"Oh yes, Principal Watts was so delighted to hear that you children were so interested in learning that you wanted to transfer before the original date of after Spring Break. Of course I know you'll make me proud." Dreams die hard, thought Nina. Both children sighed: their father just had to lay on the Make-Me-Proud line that always made them guilty.

"Of course, Dad." the teenagers chorused. Unhappily.

"Cheer up kids, school's not the end of the world! (The siblings exchanged looks of disbelief) Don't you want to open your Welcome presents from me."

And that stopped any argument. Oh what a manipulative father they had.

"Okay for my computer-crazed Adam ,I got you this…" said Adam's dear Dad as he took off the gift wrap. Any hostility towards his father evaporated when he saw what his gift was.

"Thanks Dad!!!!!! It's a black Ipod Mini! I've been wanting one ever since it came out!" cried Adam as he immediately began to gaze at the ipod mini, imagining the possibilities.

"And now my little Nina's present. Yours is very special Nina: it's one of a kind…" Nina's Daddy said in a strangely mysterious voice.

Okay so her Dad was manipulative…yet sweet.

WAIT. This box was too big for the earrings she had been wanting…In fact, Nina felt very uneasy as she lifted off the lid of the gold wrapped box. Warning signals were screaming at her to stop but curiosity was momentarily overpowering her fear.

She lifted the lid and saw her present.

What the…?!

It was a flat triangle (perhaps it was meant to represent a pyramid?!) encircled by a golden ring. Well, everything about this ring, necklace?!, was gold. But that didn't really interest Nina. What interested her were the five lethal-looking spokes on the bottom of this gold ring, and the Horus eye in the center of the triangle. It seemed to be staring right at her soul…Nina shuddered: it felt…evil.

"Do you like it Nina? I know you wanted those earrings, but when I saw this necklace at a vendor one day I just _knew_ I had to buy it for you. The strange vendor, his name was Shadai by the way, told me this Millennium Ring (he raises his eyebrows at the over-extravagance of the name) is from Egypt where (he laughs here) he believes an ancient Spirit once inhabited it! A ghost, can you believe that?!…" Nina's Dad went on to say more but Nina had tuned him out. She was staring in horror as her hands started to move towards the Millennium Ring WITH A MIND OF THEIR OWN. Nina tried to scream but found fear was clenching her voice tight.

_Nononono!_ Nina struggled to pull her hands away but right now whatever control Nina had had over her body was gone. She was a puppet. A mind-controlled puppet.  
Before she touched the Ring, she could swear that damn Horus eye was winking devilishly at her. Unwillingly she picked up the Ring.

And that's when her world went white.

Mr. Sky immediately halted his rant as soon as he saw Nina sway. Her eyes were glazed as she looked at the Ring. "Nina?" her Dad asked, starting to get worried as he saw her zombie appearance.

No response.

"Nina! Nina, what's wrong?! WAKE UP! (Nina stands there stroking the Horus eye with a finger, ignoring her father. Mr. Sky: panicking) ADAM! COME DOWN HERE AND HELP ME WAKE UP YOUR SISTER!" Robert Sky yelled as he raced over to Nina.

Adam had been lounging in the nearby couch looking over his Ipod Mini, but as soon as he heard his Dad's yell, he came rushing over. He looked horrified at the sight of his now-robot sister.

"Munchkin, wake up. (he snaps his fingers in front of her eyes, but Nina doesn't even blink) Nina, please SNAP OUT OF IT!" Adam yelled his voice getting desperate. Despite all the times he teased, and annoyed the heck out of his little sister, he still loved her dearly. Nina's dad was shaking her shoulders frantically, trying to get a reaction, but Nina was not acting like she was even _there_. Finally she swayed backward, and if it hadn't had been for Adam, Nina would've cracked her head open on the tile floor. Adam held her protectively, forgetting sibling segregation, and he lay on the couch next to her. Nina's glazed eyes fluttered shut.

No one noticed that the Millennium Ring had fallen on the nearby carpet as soon as Nina fell.

Suddenly Nina's eyes opened wearily. As soon as she saw where she was, and noticed the worried, pale looks on her family, she bolted up into a sitting position. She groaned, ugh…she felt extremely stiff for some reason.

"What happened? You look like you saw a ghost or something." Nina said casually as she gave a lazy yawn. Both men looked at her like she was insane.

"You looked like a zombie or something. Your eyes were unfocused and all you did was gaze at that Ring thingy." Adam said as he got out of Nina's proximity. He didn't like showing concern for his sister. Now that the moment of crisis had passed he could forget this had ever happened.

"Are you sure you're okay honey, what happened to you?" asked her father looking anxiously at his daughter. Nina ignored the question asking one of her own.

"Didn't you see _him_?" asked Nina.

"Who's him?" asked Nina's Dad, fearful for his daughter's mental health.

"The white angel that fell out of the sky…" Nina said quietly about to describe him until she saw the Oh-my-god-Nina's-gone-crazy looks passed between her father and brother. Perhaps it would be wise if she just kept her mouth shut.

"Maybe it was the pasta Dad." Adam whispered as he gave Nina a furtive glance.

"Yeah, I think so," Nina's dad replied in a hushed voice as if Nina were in the hospital or something. He continued in a louder voice to Nina, "Honey why don't you go upstairs, and go to bed early?"

"Erm…okay. 'Night Daddy, 'night Adam." Nina said as she went up to her room, leaving the bizarre Ring behind.Her familywasacting so strange.

As she sat in her room an hour later…(it's about 9:00 p.m. by now)

Nina was drawing furiously in her sketchbook. Her gray Egyptian Mau cat with eerie green eyes, Elf, was lying beside her with a clear look of Stop-drawing-and-pet-me written on his face. Though she had tried to go to sleep that angel?, man?(he didn't have any wings), was all she could think of. His spiky snow, white hair was as beautiful as it was dangerous. A crimson robe flapping behind him as the fallen angel was curved into a delicate 'C' as he fell downward. His head was facing the sky, and his eyes opened to reveal dark, calculating chocolate eyes. A jagged scar on hisleft cheek made him look almost scary. But how could that snow-white angel ever be scary?

Oh if she only knew.

She remembered those eyes meeting hers for the briefest of moments. The darkness, and the haunting lingering look in his eyes that told of a terrible past. Those eyes bore mercilessly into her innocent azure ones and he sighed,

_Well at least wait 'til I land will you?! _His annoyed voice echoed in her ear as she felt herself shoved back into reality.

Ah, wasn't this relationship looking promising. You could bet a million bucks Ra was up there biting his nails to the finger, cursing the day Bakura was born.  
By now, Nina had finished the picture, and a sigh of admiration escaped her: she was a really good artist. But she didn't like to brag this exceptional talent of hers so she was all set to put her sketchbook in the bottom of her bed when-

Is that the Millennium Ring?! It was. But…wasn't the Ring downstairs? She remembered clearly that it was. That could only mean…oh no, that was a silly thought, Rings didn't move on their own! Just to be safe though she picked it up, ready to lock it in her unused, moth-infested drawer because, beautiful or no, this Ring was creepy.

The Millennium Ring as if sensing her dangerous line of thought immediately started to gleam treacherously and-

Let's see how Bakura's doing…  
Bakura was lying eagle-spread face down on the springy Floridian grass. He was guessing that if he had been solid he would've created an enormous crater with the impact he'd just made as he landed. Welcome to Earth.

Bakura got up and made himself solid just in time to get a nice big mouthful of grass. Oh joy, thought Bakura as he spat out the grass and dusted himself off. He gave a deep breath (a/n: he hasn't breathed in a hundred years) and before he could ponder his options, he felt his solidness fade, and he was a spirit once more. Bakura began to float towards only Ra knew where. Damn that God! And when you're floating aimlessly on Earth, you're given a lot of thinking time. Bakura absently cleaned his nails as he remembered those turquoise, innocent eyes staring back at him curiously. He hadn't seen the rest of his hikari's body, but he knew this could only be Nina. Bakura was disgusted by the pure "goodness" gazing back at him. Bakura rolled his eyes revolted: this was going to be a loooooong lifetime. Of course, he had shoved her back into reality. Those eyes were unnerving.

So of course, it wasn't long until Bakura found himself staring into those eyes again. He was solid again and staring back at his new hikari. Ra must've heard his thoughts again.

Oh, how he hated the Gods.

Nina was currently staring at he snow white angel/man. He had appeared as soon as he blinding flash of light had disappeared.

"Ummmm…hi." said Nina, polite manners kicking in. She didn't want to say what she was really thinking : WHAT THE HECK IS THIS ALBINO/ANGEL/MAN/DEMON/WHATEVER DOING IN MY FRIGGIN ROOM!

((I heard that.))

(((You can hear my thoughts?!))) she squeaked.

((Duh. Turn it down squeaky, you're making my eardrums hurt.))

(((Not to be rude err…Mister…but would you mind telling me what's your name and who you are?))) She said this all in a nice, polite telepathic voice.

"My name…," Bakura whispered and suddenly he didn't look so angelic. He looked dangerous. He whipped out his curved blade and walked softly over to Nina. He had to make sure this new hikari stayed in her place. "is Bakura." Bakura murmured. He was trapping Nina with his haunting dark eyes. The cold metal of his blade caressed Nina's soft cheek. Nina shivered at the touch: she was trying to scream but it was as if she was a stricken deer looking into a truck's headlights about to meet Death. "I am no angel. I have done many bad things in my past. (the blade stopped at her neck as Bakura inched closer, his face inches away) I am an Egyptian tomb robber and I am your Yami." And with that scary introduction Bakura told his new hikari what no innocent girl should hear. The people he'd robbed, the ones he murdered, how he was captured, how he got paired up with Ryou, how he abused Ryou, and how he was eventually defeated by the stupid Pharaoh and sentenced to live forever in Hell. Nina blinked up at him, wishing she could drown out his voice and think he was just making this up, but looking into his serious eyes she knew it was true.

"Put the sword down Bakura." said Nina with the faintest hint of a threat. She had dealt with this before. Bakura was shocked at her bravery (after hearing everything about him, she wasn't scared?!) , but he didn't let it show.

"So my little Nina…you think you're so brave. I thought you would be afraid of the past." Bakura whispered. Since he didn't know of Nina's past he did not expect Nina's explosive reaction.

"Shut up…" she growled. Bakura had definitely hit a raw nerve. "The past is of no importance to me." She snarled, but her tear-filled eyes told a different story. Darnit! Why'd she have to be so weak! Bakura was surprised by the girl's reaction: she wasn't so innocent after all was she. For a moment Bakura thought a very unBakura thought: _maybe we aren't so different after all_…But he made sure that thought was crushed into oblivion. Then Bakura gave his trademark maniacal smirk.If his hikari wanted to play rough, well, he was game.

He maneuvered himself so he was directly behind Nina with a blade pointed at her delicate pale neck. He leaned down and whispered in her ear,

"Here's some advice my hikari girl…It is your past that shapes your future. Don't ignore it, or it will come back for you. I'm living proof. And second of all (the merciless chuckle he gave erased any thoughts that Bakura might actually be _helping_ Nina) don't try my patience. I will not hesitate to cut off your pretty little head."

Bakura's voice in her ear sent shivers down Nina's spine. She had to think quickly. Unbeknownst to Bakura, Nina had taken self-defense classes and had passed with flying colors. She waited until he moved his head off her ear and then-

WHAM!

Nina had grasped the hand that had been holding her waist, and then with her other hand she elbowed Bakura hard in the stomach. Before Bakura managed to decapitate her, Nina got out of the sword's way. Bakura was reeling from the blow. He looked at her utterly shocked.

Nina graced him with a very unNinalike evil smirk.  
(((I can play rough too Bakura.)))

Oh that little bitch. She was good.

"You're going to get it now girl." Bakura said as he recovered. His eyes flashed with evil intentions. But he put his sword away…Wait, thought Nina, WHY THE HECK WOULD HE PUT AWAY HIS MOST DANGEROUS WEAPON?!

Bakura smirked as he saw Nina's uneasy expression. Bakura picked up he Millennium Ring and put it around his neck. "Who needs a sword when you have the shadow realm?" Bakura whispered quietly. But Nina heard it as if it had been shouted. Bakura had told her all about the Shadow Realm in his lengthy autobiography.

Shoot. She was done for.

"B-but you can't I'm y-your whatcha-me-call-it…oh yes y-your hikari. If I go you go." Nina tried to say confidently but inside she was quaking. The whole spurt of karate she had just demonstrated had only happened because of her anger. Now, fear replaced her anger.

"Death doesn't scare me. Hell doesn't scare me. Those stupid Gods don't scare me. I don't care about dying…And anyways, technically I'm already dead." Bakura said as he punctuated each sentence with a step towards Nina.

There was only thing that scared him however. And she was standing right in front of them. Yes, this girl was a mystery that Bakura wanted to disappear. Forever.

But Amane…

Bakura longed to see his little sister once more. As he raised his hand ready to strike the girl, and then send her to her doom-

TO HELL WITH IT!

Amane. He couldn't kill this girl; he had to see Amane…and apologize.

Nina had closed her eyes, knowing there was no way to run and a magical Bakura clearly had the advantage. She waited for the blow that would come. She felt a rush of air suddenly go by, and Nina scrunched her eyes together waiting for it. But no blow came. Nina opened her eyes to find Bakura's hand inches away from her cheek, tensed and ready to strike. But he put the hand down and his eyes softened.

"Amane." He muttered softly to himself. In that moment Bakura lost all his menace and he actually looked, dare Nina say it…vulnerable.

But that moment passed all too quickly.

"What are you gawking at brat?" Bakura demanded as his eyes flashed back to their usual haughtiness.  
"Nothing. Nothing at all." Nina said meekly. She wondered quietly to herself so even Bakura wouldn't hear: who's Amane?  
"That's exactly what I want to hear." Bakura said. Before we could see what happened next in this entertaining hikari/Yami pairing…

"Nina, I keep hearing noises up here. But I specifically remember telling you to go to sleep." Nina's father teased as he opened the door. Nina waited for his gasp of surprise and shock when he saw Bakura. She waited…but no reaction. She looked over to where Bakura was. But Bakura was no longer there. Great, thought Nina, he can disappear at will.

"You seem distracted." Nina's father asked. That's an understatement, thought Nina. "Are you all right Nina?"

No. "Yes, Daddy."

"Tomorrow is your first day at your new school so get into your bed, CLOSE, I mean it, close the sketchbook." Nina does as told, and Daddy tucks her in. He brushes a stray strand of hair from her face and kisses her forehead lovingly. "Goodnight princess."

"Ugh, Daddy don't call me that," Nina said with mock annoyance. But she was grinning.

All too soon though Daddy left, leaving her alone in the room again with…Bakura. And sure enough there he was again. Life could really suck at times.

Bakura got out Nina's plush blue chair and sat on it, saying nothing. Nina sat up waiting for what Bakura would do next. Bakura put a leg on top of another in a half-Indian sitting position. He put a hand under his chin in the classic "Thinker's" position. Still, he said nothing; he just stared at her.

"Well, speak up already!" Nina cried, unable to take it anymore. His unwavering gaze was unsettling. Bakura smirked.

"Princess, huh." Bakura said in a quiet voice. Quiet but chilling. His words cut through the room like a knife. Her father really did love her. It was watching that father-daugher moment that made Bakura almost smile with remembering his own family…**_No_**. He didn't want to remember those painful memories especially in front of the girl.

"Erm…Bakura? (Bakura snaps out of his daydream and glares at her) Are you going to stare at me all night or can I go to bed?…and you can go back to the Ring and rest."

"But I'm not tired." Bakura said enjoying his hikari's discomfort. He roughly grabbed her chin. "What if I don't want to sleep, _princess_?" Nina felt her face grow warm with the innuendo, and she knew her cheeks were tinged pink. She was extremely uncomfortable: Bakura had positioned himself so he was hovering almost on top of her. And then she felt that anger fill her again. This time she welcomed it.

"Don't talk to me like that!" she snapped and kicked Bakura right in the groin.

OW.

Bakura bit back a howl of pain as he collapsed on the floor. For a few moments Nina had the pleasure of watching Bakura writhe and twitch around her carpet in unbearable pain. Too bad they only lasted moments. Getting up gingerly with murder in his eyes he whipped out his sword. He was going to cut her into pieces. Slowly.

Cursing (in her PG language: she is goody-goody after all) her rash ways Nina backed up to her wall.

"In all my years of living, never have I seen a girl stupid enough to hurt me. Until now. And you know what little Nina, I don't like it!" he said as the sword came flying towards Nina in an arc ready to cut her in two.

What about Amane? Asked that infuriating little voice in Bakura's head.  
Oh yeah Amane…damnit.

He stopped the sword in mid-arc. "Radamnit." Bakura muttered. He put the sword back in its golden sheath. And without another word he sat back on Nina's chair.

Nina was mystified. What kept stopping him from killing her?! She looked at Bakura in shock, with her jaw dropped, not registering that she was still alive.

((Close your jaw and go to sleep brat…before I change my mind.))

Nina did exactly what Bakura had asked (more like demanded). Soon, she was curled up into a ball facing the wall (not Bakura) with Elf on her other side. Surprisingly, even though a volatile, maniacal ancient tomb robber watching her, she was actually getting sleepy. ::yawn:: Despite the attempted murder, threats, and possible assault from Bakura she still felt he wasn't so bad. No one could ever be as bad as her Father. A little rough around the edges, but maybe, just maybe he could be softened. She was truly a saint. Or stupidly naïve. Make your choice.

(((Goodnight Bakura))) Nina whispered kindly. Bakura was shocked: she still dared to speak to him after the attempted murder, threats, and possible assault?! She was either a saint or extremely stupid. Bakura chose the latter. But still she was brave, however stupidly…

(('Night brat.))

* * *

There's Chapter 2! YAY, I finished it! (I'm staying up so late writing this)

Important Note: No, Bakura doesn't have a body, but he does have the ability to make himself solid in this story. So while he is still dependent on his hikari for living (and he can use her body…you'll see about that next chapter) he has somewhat of a body that he can use as long as he doesn't leave her/kill her.

Sorry if i'm missing any t's but my computer has some issues with the letter 't'. Don't ask.

I'll be doing the next chapter soon (it's short), so don't worry about updating

R & R!

-Starlet36


	3. Nightmare

Thank you for the reviews! I would just like to make it very clear though…I'M NOT MAKING A MARY SUE STORY!!!!! AND FOR THE LAST TIME I'M **SORRY** IF AMANE WAS RYOU'S BROTHER AND THIS IS CONFUSING, BUT IT'S A LITTLE TOO LATE TOO CHANGE HER NAME!

(go through sudden mood change) There. All better!

As for Nina's faults…she has quite a few of them, and they should be apparent in this chapter.

Bakura was in his soul room lazing about, pacing around…basically doing nothing. One of the biggest disadvantages to being "alive" again was that normal functions like sleep didn't come until later. Much later.

But then he heard a scream.

Bakura raised his eyebrows about to do some more pacing moodily/cursing-the Gods-for –his-being-here when…wait a second, he knew that voice. Nina. With nothing better to do, Bakura got up and went to Nina's soul door. It had a clear leave-me-alone vibe coming from it, but did Bakura care? Heck no, he was Bakura.

He pushed it open, and then he was in Nina's room. Whoa, this was definitely different than what he had expected. Not a bright girly pink with white lace or anything. This room was stark white on three walls and the third wall was painted a dark gloomy blue. The dark wall had a door. Bakura considered turning back, there was nothing interesting in here, but then he heard it again. Nina's scream. And this time it was pained.

Hmmmm…leave or go find Nina…  
Tough decisions, tough decisions.

For any other brave (and foolish) person they would have gone to find Nina immediately, without a second thought…but this was Bakura.

Hmmmm…

Well, since there was nothing else to do…::sigh:: ah, he'd go.

So Bakura began the long, winding passageway of Nina's past. Firs he felt the bright innocence of babyhood, but then as Bakura began to get farther into Nina's mind, it got darker. And the screams go louder. Soon Bakura was almost able to make out what was being said.

"Daddy! Daddy, please no!" cried a young voice.

"You bitch…slut like yer Mom…don't deserve to live…" said a gruff, obviously drunk, slurred voice. And then Bakura heard a WHACK! Then nothing.

Bakura felt himself quicken his pace in anticipation. (a/n: but not in worry for those poor, naïve souls who actually thought he _cared_ about Nina) This was getting interesting.

He heard the voices get louder as he passed another door. He felt all of Nina's mind barriers centered around this one door. It was clear that this was a memory she neither wanted herself nor anyone else to ever see. Bakura had a feeling even he wouldn't be able to go through it. He tried opening the locked door anyways. He immediately felt a memory that was not his own: a loud voice, a child's scream, and then…blood…everywhere. Bakura felt himself thrown back from the door. For a second Bakura stood there dazed as he could see the blood and the screams playing like a broken record he didn't want to hear.

Then he shook his head of the memories and moved on. He was disturbed but still curious

He finally meandered his way over to a dead end that had a final door. It represented the present. Bakura stood here a moment, hearing another pierced scream with unease, but not wanting to be a wimp, he opened it.

Whoa.

He was at a beach (Floridian perhaps?), but it was not a nice one. The winds were not gentle breezes: they were hurricane winds lashing out at Bakura's face. The sparse palm trees swayed dangerously in the wind, looking like they would all fall down and cause a massive earthquake. The murky blue water didn't look inviting at all; it seemed as if it were hiding dangerous secrets. Bakura didn't like this place one bit.

The sky was a dark blue with thunder booming overhead as a storm approached. Out of all the places to have in the goody-goody's present, this would not have been it.

"Nina?" Bakura asked. If he didn't here a response he was leaving; he wasn't _that_ curious.

"Help! Someone please help me!" plead a voice that seemed to come from the sky. Bakura walked around looking for he source, but found none. Great, what a waste of time, thought Bakura, he'd thought he'd get to see some action.

And then he saw her.

Nina, but oh, it couldn't be Nina.

Nina was happy. Nina was cheery. Nina wasn't covered in blood.

Nina gave a cry of pain as she looked as if she'd been struck across her cheek. But Bakura couldn't see who slapped her.

But Nina sure could.

"Father, father no! Stop, _please_! I didn't mean to!" Nina sobbed. She gasped as it looked as if she'd been punched in the stomach.

Bakura opened his eyes in interest: why couldn't he see 'father'?

"Nina?" Bakura asked curious.

But it was as if Bakura wasn't even there. She held up an arm in defense, but it was no use: a nasty slash was made across of it.

Bakura couldn't stand this!…She was ignoring him! (a/n: heh, not what you expected, no?)

Bakura marched over to Nina and said right in her face loudly, "My, my what a rude little girl you are, don't even say hello-" Bakura paused in mid-sentence as he heard Nina whimper, "Stop." Even though Nina was looking right at him, it was like he was a ghost and she was looking past him at something else. Now, a tad of something resembling worry filled Bakura as he shook Nina roughly, "Snap out of it brat!"

Compassion was not Bakura's strong point.

Nina continued to look frightened as she tried to back away. "No father, not that, anything but that!"

Bakura had had enough of watching this bizarre fight between Nina and her 'father'.

"THIS IS NOT REAL NINA! **WAKE UP!**" he bellowed with all his might, shaking her back and forth like a doll.

And somehow, in that peculiar way of his, Bakura woke Nina up. Neither Bakura nor Nina saw the Ring glow with a white light.

Nina's eyes glazed eyes focused on Bakura.

"Why hello Bakura." She said calmly, not at all perky. Or afraid. Weird.

"Nina?" Bakura asked confused.

"What is it Bakura?" Nina asked in a world-weary voice, "Have you come to finally do the deed and kill me? Because if you have, I'm sorry to say, it's already been done." Nina then did the scariest thing: she threw back her head and began laughing crazily. Bakura looked at Nina's deliriously glazed eyes thinking: she's mad! But she did look sort of pretty with her hair out of her face, looking so free…ewwwww, Did I just think that? Bakura shuddered, and that brief moment of beauty passed and Nina was back to looking like a lunatic. Ah, much better.

"Nina…you're not dead though," Bakura said putting it simply. He was amazed that his hikari showed no reserve, no fear at him…by Ra, she was stupid! Or insane. A little bit of both, Bakura thought. Nina abruptly stopped laughing. Her face grew somber,

"Ah but it is Bakura. Or I soon will be…isn't it remarkable how fragile human beings are…all it takes is one slit on your wrists…" Nina said softly gazing at her own wrists. Bakura looked at her in shock: sweet, little Nina…suicidal?! It just didn't seem possible.

"I can see by the look on your face that your wondering oh how could sweet little 'ol me: the tyrannical-let's-save-the-environment/animals/whatever…(she gave a hollow chuckle)…Ah what a façade! But as you can see _he's_ always going to be here…(Nina's voice drops to a scared whisper: she looked up at Bakura in despair)…I can never escape him: nightmares, thoughts, and actions. He's had a part in all of it whether I wanted him to or not…But perhaps in death…I can be free." Bakura felt something deep inside him crack as he saw Nina's look of hope on her bleak face. It was painful to look at this raw, blunt side of Nina. Something needed to be done. Hmmm…it wouldn't do if Nina killed herself…I'd die…again.

"Nina…ummm…don't kill yourself: you have to live out your life…(he trails off, not used to giving motivational speeches. Perhaps it would be good if he stuck to what he knew best: bluntness)…Nina you can't die. First off, killing yourself doesn't earn you an easy ticket to heaven. Second, it's a really stupid way to die: I mean if you have to go, go with a bang like I did…Anyways, the point is brat that death won't set you free, you have to be the one to-"

"You don't think I haven't tried that! It works sometimes like when I'm with my adopted brother and adopted Dad…but it doesn't take long until he returns-" Nina cut in only to be interrupted by Bakura,

"Ah, ah, ah though. Because now, you have me. I'll make sure no evil fathers, you're adopted right? (Nina nods)…get you, 'kay brat?"

"'Kay." Nina smiled softly, not the usual life-is-beautiful smile, but, hey, it was a start. Nina winced though as she got up from the sand. Bakura frowned as he just noticed the whole blood-stained, bruised Nina for the first time (a/n: well he IS used to seeing it). Bakura wasn't sure what compelled him to do it, but he roughly grabbed Nina, and muttered an ancient healing spell. A cool, soothing sensation filled Nina, and when she looked down at herself, she was back to normal. She looked up at Bakura in both gratitude and amazement.

Did he just do something…**_nice?!_**

"Bakura…" Nina said softly, about to thank him, possibly hug him. As if reading her thoughts…

"Don't get all mushy on me brat." Bakura said. Nina simply smiled then and said, "Thanks." While they were walking back to the door, Bakura remembered something. Nina now had blackmail information that she could use against him: Bakura actually being…good. Bakura knew his red aura had just acquired some blue sparks to it. Damnit.

"Unless you want everyone to know about little Ms. Suicide, I suggest that this whole "incident" never leaves the two of us." Bakura said as he stared at his hikari. Nina looked up at him, surprised at how easily he could trap her.

That sneaky little—Nina then thought something not so innocent. —He was good. Nina had a feeling it would take all of her wit to keep up with him. Strangely, she looked forward to it. She could be sneaky too.

"Deal."

Let the games begin.

Whew! Surprisingly that didn't take long! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to do my history on Coca-Cola speech (did you know that _7,000_ Cokes are consumed each second!)

Next chapter: the point of view will switch to our other hikari girl, Carla (Yami's hikari). As she's cramming for exams…she won't be in a good mood. And for those who read the first story, you know what happens when she's mad…fun.

Question to readers: would you mind if the next chapter also included a prophetic dream…or would you all just be sick of them?

R & R!

-Starlet36


	4. Beware the Temptress and the Mistress

Yay! Reviews!  
Nina may be looking a little dark right now (but who wouldn't with her past)…and it must be made clear that she barely made the cut for Bakura's hikari. But in this chapter we're going back to Carla and Yami.  
To Silently Broken: Not mad. Thank you for your constructive criticism, and I hope you like this chapter.

On to the next chapter! CHARGE! (then run into pole…again. Stupid pole.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! because if I did new episodes would come out more often. And I don't own Charlie's Angels: thank you for the one line I used from it (I hate myself for not being original but nothing fit better. Ah well.)

Enjoy.

* * *

The infamously hot-tempered hikari girl, Carla, sat on her carpet with pages strewn everywhere. If one could either hear the mumblings under her breath, or see the impossible amounts of pages she was supposed to know, one would instantly know she was studying for exams. Or as Carla liked to think of them: hell.

But it was not just any exam, thought Carla as she tried to memorize the chemical formula…it was science. And oh how she sucked at science.

"So if I look at Hydrogen it has one valence electron…(she peeks: correct. Yay!) …and a proton number of…3?…It's 1?! Godamnit!" Carla muttered moodily.

She hated cramming. Her head was throbbing from the information overload.

"Carla…?" asked a cautious Yami as he appeared right behind her. When Carla got in one of her "moods", you had to be extra careful.

"What is it?!" she snapped at Yami with her blood-shot eyes. In any other situation Yami would have backed down but…

"Carla it is 2:30 A.M.!!!!" Yami cried.

"So?" Carla said unperturbed. As long as she had her Mountain Dew, and tea she was good. But ::yawn:: secretly she was tired and wanted nothing more than sleep.

"Carla," Yami said in a no-nonsense voice. "You can't go on like this; you're killing yourself!"

"Pish posh, you're such a Drama Queen Yami."

Yami had had enough. Carla was going to sleep whether she wanted to or not.

"Carla, first off it's Drama Pharaoh. Second, you will go to bed…NOW!"

"Yami I have to do well on this exam…you know that…" Carla said as she tried to end the argument and return back to her Physical Science book. But a certain Pharaoh quickly got in front of her and slammed the book shut.

"Hey!"

"Carla, however much I love your determination to succeed, you CANNOT EXPECT TO LEARN AT THIS HOUR!" Yami said forcefully as he tried to pry Carla's fingers from the book as she attempted to get it back.

"You can't make me," Carla said as she gave up on the book and grabbed her back-up in-case-of-Pharaoh-filching chemical formula sheet. Yami groaned; he forgot the back-up. But then he got an idea…hmmmm, oh yes he'd do it…but Carla would not like it at all.

What a shame.

"Actually, Carla yes I can make you." Yami said in his cool, demanding voice. Carla looked up, surprised at his confidence. This could only mean one thing.

"You wouldn't." Carla said trying to act cocky, but knowing that Yami had hit the jackpot. Yami simply gazed gravely at her, and his silence was enough of an answer for Carla.

Carla gulped.

"You know I only do this for your good." Yami said as he cupped Carla's chin.

"Damn you." Carla said as she felt Yami's magic seep into her body. She was so sleepy. Ah…sleep was looking good, that pillow looked so soft and comforting- NO!

Carla fought to keep her weary eyes open and fight Yami's grip, but Yami was stronger. He looked forlornly as Carla made a last attempt to stop him, "But I'll fail!"

"At least you'll get to sleep Carla. Your health matters more than a grade." Yami said kindly as he felt Carla start to give in, inch by inch.

Unfortunately, Carla did not think the same as Yami.

"Bastard," she muttered bitterly as she succumbed at last to sleep.

"I love you too Carla," Yami said as his mouth twitched.

He picked up his fiery, beloved hikari and plopped her softly on her bed. He sat there on the bed admiring her beauty even though she was haggard from sleep-deprivation. Yami got up ready to leave her when he felt an uneasy wave go through him: it felt as if there were someone right behind him…Yami looked behind him and saw nothing. Weird. Maybe he was catching some of his hikari's insanity. Speaking of which, awww, she looked so cute when she was sleeping all bundled up, with just her sweet face peeking out. After a soft kiss on the forehead he couldn't resist giving, Yami left her thinking along the same lines as Carla: can't wait till these exams are over…Pharaohs don't use girly words like "awww".

As he climbed into the lavish bed in one of the many doors in his soul room…he felt that creepy sense of foreboding again. Yami peered through the darkness with his crimson eyes, yet saw nothing. It was probably just the lack of sleep. ::yawn:: sleep would cure all of this nonsense.

Little did he know that the exact opposite would happen.

Yami found himself wandering the palace grounds with a rare foreign delicacy, an apple. He stopped at the palace garden under a lush tree. It was around noon time, and soon he'd have to return to his Pharaoh duties. But for now, he tried to enjoy the moment as he rested his head on the tree. So sleepy…maybe he'd just take a little nap-

"Is that you Atem?" asked a young woman as her voice chimed into Yami's head, interrupting his doze.

"Hnnnn…" Yami said as he rubbed open his eyes. He immediately composed himself as he saw the feminine body shape outside the canopy of branches that hid Yami. The woman pushed back the branches and her lovely body was revealed. With black hair cut stylishly short (a/n: see Cleopatra) and gold glinting off almost every inch of her body, the woman walked towards Yami with her hips swaying. Yami found himself staring at her hips thinking perverted thoughts.

"Oh Atem…" she purred, intentions clear. "Were you asleep?…Well, I can fix that."

"Zahara? I thought you were with the Queen, my mother…" Atem said fully awake as Princess Zahara continued in sauntering to Yami, finally stopping when she reached him.

"Well, you know how your mother and me don't get along…" she said as she started running her fingers up his well-toned chest. "So I'm just taking a…errr…"break"…" She maneuvered herself up to Atem and put her lips carefully on his. She nibbled on his bottom lip, and Yami suppressed just giving in to what she obviously wanted. But he got the nagging feeling that something just wasn't right with this picture. There was another girl besides Zahara…speaking of which she needed to get off of him before he'd do something he'd regret…

"Zahara!" Yami said as he pushed her off of him. His cheeks were flushed. "We shouldn't be doing this in public…"

"Oh stop being such a killjoy Pharaoh. After all I am your-"

"Yes, I _know_ Zahara." Pharaoh Atem cut in, not liking the word Zahara had been about to use. "And I wish you'd call me Yami."

"But _Yami_…(she said this with a ugly look on her upturned nose)…doesn't sound as powerful or as _rich_ as Pharaoh Atem." Atem noticed how she relished the word rich with a bit of discomfort. Once again the image of an unfamiliar girl flashed through his mind.

Zahara had had enough talking, and got right to the point. She began to kiss Atem fervently, and Atem kissed her back. If Zahara wanted to play rough so could he; a few moments later Atem smirked as Zahara moaned in pleasure with Atem's tongue down her mouth. As the kiss became more and more "passionate"…Atem felt someone watching them.

His eyes flew open and he caught who was looking at them. It was the girl…

She looked so sad, and Atem's heart went out to the poor girl. He abruptly ended the kiss, and memory started coming back to him slowly…

"Atem! Why did you end it?" said a pouting Zahara. But suddenly, Atem wasn't in the mood for kissing anymore. But Zahara, still was. Was it just him or were her grey eyes now icy with hatred?

She roughly turned Atem's face back to her, and gave the girl a dirty look… "Ignore her my Pharaoh." She whispered and her voice, for some strange reason, was echoing in his head. So hypnotic…He couldn't help but start to obey. "You belong to me, only me." Yami pulled his gaze away from the tear-stricken lady, as Zahara pulled him in a possessive kiss. Atem felt her words echo in his head, and he felt his mind give way to Zahara. Zahara was all that mattered. He would do whatever she asked.

Suffice to say, he gave in to her wishes, and continued to kiss her.

Minutes Later…

After the kiss Atem remembered something…that girl…was…  
_Carla_.  
His hikari. His girlfriend. Uh-oh. It had all come back at the worse possible timing. Zahara smirked triumphantly. "I win. She is no more." The evil princess said. She began to laugh wickedly as she watched Atem's face turn to one of horror.

Atem whipped his head around to see his hikari, but it was true…Carla was gone.  
Like she had never existed.  
And in her place was a manipulative witch named Zahara.

* * *

Carla was in a dark, cold room. It was not a nice place: the air was stale, a cracked mirror close by, and the room was pitch black except for the dim light she was under. And was that _blood on the walls_?! Carla dearly hoped the light was playing tricks with her eyes.

"We have caught the prisoner, mistress. Do you want him now?" said a guard outside the door.

"Yes, bring him in." said a cold voice. Weird, it sounded awfully close by…

The prisoner was roughly kicked into the room. Carla gasped as she realized who it was.

Yami.

Carla gasped: Yami looked as if he'd been beaten up badly with bruises marring his beautiful chest, a black eye, and nasty cuts sprinkled everywhere on his poor body. She tried to run to him but it was like she was frozen in place. Literally.

Move! But she couldn't. She was helpless. And that made watching this atrocity a million times worse.

"Yami…you know why you're here." said the chilling voice. Carla could tell it was a woman, but she felt so…evil and familiar…

"Please, let me explain! I needed to get you, to save you…this is not you-" Yami said passionately about to say the evil girl's name, but was cut off by the girl.

"I told you never to call me that name again _Pharaoh_! I go by the name Mistress now." Snarled the "Mistress" in a voice that looked like it could freeze Yami in place.

"Mistress is not your name! (Mistress: TT) If you don't want me to call you by your proper, lovely name then I'll call you…Kirahi. (Yami smiled, "Kirahi" looked livid) Please, come with me; don't lose yourself to darkness…or that light in you will be gone forever." Yami said as he walked slowly towards the Mistress. Carla watched Yami in concern and with slight jealousy…why'd he care so much about this evil Kirahi/Mistress/whatever.

"No, no get away from me Yami!…You BETRAYED me, you USED me to accomplish your goals, and YOU KNOW WHAT YOU…BASTARD…I SAW WHAT YOU DID!"

"Kirahi PLEASE! You're letting the darkness consume you. You're acting irrational, KIRAHI CALM DOWN!" Yami said as he stopped a few feet away from "Kirahi". Carla saw a vaguely memorable, slender hand reach out into her pocket and pull out a…gun! A LOADED GUN. No, Carla thought with increasing dread and horror, she wouldn't do it…would she?

Yami seemed to think so. He didn't move as if letting her make the choice WITH HIS LIFE. He looked at Kihari with resolution.

"If you truly want to do this Kirahi, do it. But you can still change: there is hope for you to become good again…It is _never_ too late."

"Oh but it is Yami," said Mistress as she aimed the gun at Yami's heart. Carla felt a single tear roll down Kirahi's cheek. The slender hand wiped it away. She steadied her trembling hand, and continued in a voice thick with passion.

"Because I was _never_ good Yami…I was great."

She pulled the trigger.

And the bullet hit its target. A shocked Carla watched as Yami's chest turned scarlet with the blood. As his eyes became unfocused when death loomed, he whispered, "I still love you." Then his eyes glazed over and death took the martyr Pharaoh from the world.

Carla didn't know when she stopped screaming Yami's name in a futile attempt to bring her back. All she knew was when her anger started to overwhelm her. Who was the bitch that murdered her Yami?! WHO?! Carla was boiling in rage as she watched Yami's corpse, hatred filling her, comforting her. You could bet that if Carla could move she'd be strangling someone's neck right now.

Suddenly, the Mistress walked over to Yami. Carla's rage stopped in her tracks when she saw the Mistress's reflection in the nearby cracked mirror. Carla felt her gut turn to ice as she looked on in horror.

The murderer who had killed her beloved Yami…was she.

* * *

Reading over this…it's pretty dramatic. But I hope it's a good dramatic kind.  
Well then, I hope you know that these symbolic nightmares will show their purpose later on…so remember the basic points: Seduction, Betrayal.

Next Chapter: Bakura and Yami meet again. Oh dear.

Another odd Coke fact (hey I'm doing my speech soon!): If all Coke made were those 6 ½ oz. bottles (those tiny ones), they would wrap around the world more than 11,863 times. My thoughts: first, wow…then: Who the heck has the time to calculate these things?!

Anyways, I love long weekends…finally I can catch up on my sleep. And you know what can make this even better ::wink wink:: Reviews!  
So R & R!  
-Starlet36


	5. First Impressions

Thank you Possessed Squirrel, Maistwin, Panmotto, Silently Broken, LightAngelSara DarkAngelSage, and Pugz! Your reviews brightened my weekend!

Interesting ending to the last chapter, no? Anyways it's back to Nina again, and this chapter really is the beginning to the plot. The other chapters were set-ups and tempting hints…not that I didn't love writing them!

To Pugz: Uhhh…I meant Carla by saying "It was she"…Thanks for the review!

To Silently Broken: I honestly don't know what happened to Ryou, and maybe that's why so many fanfics are on that topic. I highly suggest you read the first story though.

Disclaimer: Two words: Don't own.  
Enjoy.

Here's a quote that ties in with the first half of this story:

"Present day humans are so fun to terrorize don't you think?"

"I wouldn't know, but then again, I am just a present day human."

-a conversation between Bakura and Tristan.

Nina heaved her backpack on her shoulder. God, this thing was heavy. And she hadn't even gone to school!

((Is my fragile, delicate hikari encountering troubles that her poor slender shoulders cannot bear?)) Bakura said and his voice couldn't possibly be more sarcastic.

(((No. I'm perfectly capable, thank you.))) she said curtly. But it was rather heavy though. Too late she realized it was _too_ heavy.

OOF! She tipped over. She got up quickly and she could practically feel Bakura's smirk.

((Perfectly capable, huh?))

TT (((Go back to hell Bakura.)))

((Delicate _and_ testy…))

Nina wanted to cry out in frustration. It was like having this constant commentary in her head. And she didn't like the jibing this infuriating voice gave her. His voice was incredibly sexy though…_Did she just think that?!_

Whoa. She really needed to check herself into a mental institution ASAP.

"Ni-na! You're going to be late!" yelled her father. Nina quickly heaved herself back up with a grunt, and tottered herself down the stairs. Adam gave her a strange look, "Are you going to move into your school?" he teased.

"No…(she notices his small, light backpack) What?! Why aren't you carrying anything?!"

"Hey, not all of us are goody-two-shoes like you." He muttered as their father came in. Nina pursed her lips: It was becoming a close race between her brother and Bakura as to who would drive her insane first.

((Hmmmm…Goody-two-shoes…I like.))

Bakura was winning.

A couple minutes later while Nina was walking away from the drop-off point…

So here she was, Nina thought as she trudged her way up the path. School. She was already starting to catch some of the boys' eyes. Nina knew who these types of guys were and she curled her lip in displeasure.

"Hey, I thought I've seen all the pretty girls in the world…till I laid my eyes on you" said a boy as he checked out Nina's slender body, making no attempt to hide it. Nina rolled her eyes: she bet he'd practiced the corny pick-up line in front of his mirror.

"I'm new here…so if you'll excuse me I have to go…" she said as she tried to shoulder her way out. But the fool didn't get the hint. He blocked her way and crossed his arms.

"Newbie, huh? I'm Austin. Well, I'm sure with me around your school experience will be…fun." Whispered the boy in a lame attempt to add a sexual innuendo to his sentence. Nina nearly gagged though as he started to inch closer to her. Wasn't the dense boy getting the signals that she was NOT interested?! Apparently no, thought Nina, as she could feel his smelly breath on her face. Whew, this guy needed a breath mint. Bakura meanwhile wasn't liking this encounter at ALL. He was feeling a strange unused emotion, possibly jealousy? No way! He was _Bakura_. Why would he be jealous of clumsy, goody-two-shoes brat…that was beautiful. Argh, he needed to see a shrink: this was not how maniacal, evil, heartless tomb robbers were supposed to act.

But as the boy Austin grasped a hand on her shoulder, Bakura felt that strange twinge again. Radamnit, he was going soft.

Not knowing of the consequences, he decided to take over.

Now Bakura had been many things during his lives. He'd been a kind loving brother. A helpful son. A cruel tomb robber. A most-wanted enemy of the Pharaoh. A Yami. Bakura thought he'd done it all. But Bakura had never been this.

Bakura had never been a girl.

Bakura stood there blinking as he got used to living. Hmmm…everything _seemed_ to be normal. But something just wasn't right.

Hmmmm…

Bakura's hand traveled down his face (check) to his…chest. Wait a second, his chest was not so…

Oh Ra.

Panicking and in denial, Bakura left feeling his "chest" to move his hands downward towards his butt…That was odd. He didn't remember it being so…

No! This couldn't be happening!

Bakura in a last attempt to prove that this horror had not happened, moved his hands opposite of the butt and…Oh Ra there was something missing here…

Bakura took a deep breath and looked at himself in the nearby puddle. Even though the reflected image was distorted, Bakura knew that what he saw was true. He was trying not to shriek in horror. He was now a woman. His brilliant white hair and Nina's black hair made a compromise and Nina/Bakura's head was now spiky with black and white spikes sticking up in a slightly less lethal-looking way. And his chest was definitely more…ahem…bigger. And as for his other new parts…Bakura who rather not think about those.

Oh how he hated the Gods.

As Bakura had been feeling himself up, Austin had been watching with a curious expression on his face.

"So you're a freak-a-leek…I'm down with that." Austin whispered huskily as he cupped Bakura's chin. Austin looked as if he was about to kiss him/her, probably poisoning Bakura with his Breath of Death. "Come to papa…"

Austin was a goner.

Bakura immediately snapped his head up, punched Austin in the stomach, and held Austin's throat up as he collapsed.

Austin was now staring into the cold, merciless hazel eyes of Bakura. They were nothing like the sweet, azure eyes of Nina, and they bore into his soul, leaving the stupid boy trembling in fear.

"Mortal! You will never touch me again, unless you want a blade in your heart. Is this clear?!" Bakura snarled as he tightened his grip on Austin's throat. The boy's face was turning red from the air constriction.

"Yes, I'll do whatever you ask! Lemme Go!" he squeaked.

"Fine…but only because you asked so nicely." Bakura said in a disturbingly nice voice as he let Austin out of his death grip. Austin sat there gasping for a few moments before he spat at Bakura's well-pedicure feet.

"Freak! I'll make your life hell!" But Bakura didn't even blink at the threat.

"Hmmm…freak? I thought you said quote 'I'm down with that' when you said I was a freak. Ah well, everyone's a hypocrite. But it wouldn't do if the school knew you got nearly choked to death by little 'ol me now would it." Bakura threatened effectively. He winked devilishly, and mockingly blew a kiss at a stunned Austin.

He loved terrorizing humans.

(((BAKURA! WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED?!)))

::sigh:: Duty called.

((What is it my _dear_ hikari?)) Bakura said, making sure his 'dear' was sarcastic.

(((What's wrong?! WHAT'S WRONG?! I'm stuck in a stupid room, while I could hear everything YOU did in MY body?! HOW DO I GET OUT OF HERE?!))

Apparently, Nina had never actually seen her soul room. Wow, what an emotional little hikari she was, Bakura thought, as he heard distant banging on the soul door.

(((You know I can hear your thoughts from here.)))

((I know.)) This time Nina screamed her frustration. That Bakura was such a…

((Ah ah ah. I wouldn't want your mind to be soiled by indecent thoughts…(Nina grumbles some more un-Ninalike 'indecent thoughts'. Bakura: -.-U)…Very well then, all you have to do is imagine yourself right back where you once were.))

Nina did so and she found herself floating next to a Bakura. That looked an awfully lot like her. She started giggling.

"What's so funny brat?!" Bakura snarled as he continued walking towards the school.

"Well I dunno Bakura…you have black/white hair, your eyes are hazel, and you now have b-" She couldn't continue because she had erupted into hysterics. Bakura glared at her. "Immature brat…" he grumbled to himself.

"Oh ho ho! (Nina elbowed him lightly) If memory serves me, I remember a certain Yami was horrified when he looked and saw he was a girl!" Nina said, still giggling as she saw the new Bakura.

Bakura gave her a glare that could make hell freeze over. Nina shut up, but her eyes still danced facetiously.

"So are you going to stay in my body Bakura? Because I really need it back." Nina said as she already planned his response.

"Aww boo-hoo. I haven't been truly alive for the last hundred years. If you really think I'm going to give it back to you then maybe you are as stupid as I believed." Bakura said nastily. The last comment stung a bit, but it was expected. Nina continued smiling.

"Okay then…Enjoy using body! But I hope you know it's my time of the month…"

She had him there.

"…"

Nina gave a Bakuralike smirk as a flushed Bakura immediately handed over her body.

Oh, how she loved terrorizing her Yami.

Finally it was over! The science exam! Carla was walking out of the science room and over to her last period of the day: art. In other words she was done: Carla bet there was yet to be someone who failed the art exam.

As she was walking she remembered the nightmare and what had happened afterwards…

Flashback

"YAMI!" she screamed in desperation, not knowing it was all a dream.

"CARLA!" Yami yelled simultaneously as he woke up sweating. He subconsciously licked his lips from the dream- no nightmare, and felt disgusted with himself. He ran out of the room filled with unwanted memories. He heard Carla's scream as he appeared in her room.

"What have I done…?" she whispered as tears ran down her face. She was trembling violently as she looked at her hands in horror as if they were the plague.

"Carla," Yami said both worried and relieved at the same time.

"Yami! You're alive?!" she cried as she flung her arms around his neck as she buried her head into his chest.

"Of course I am, my little hikari." Yami whispered as he enveloped his arms around her protectively. Yami became extremely worried though when he got no response from the 'little hikari' in question. Carla's biggest peeve was when someone dared to call her little. (a/n: as many readers who read the first story already know) But it was as if she didn't even hear Yami. She kept mumbling to herself, "It's all my fault. I did it, I did it." all the while with a haunted look in her now-dull brown eyes.

"Carla, what did you do?" Yami said as he lifted up her chin. But Carla couldn't meet his eyes: she felt very guilty.

"I…" For a moment Carla considered telling him the truth. But what could she say?! I killed you?! Way Over-dramatic response. She didn't want to think how Yami would react. And that freakily, realistic nightmare…what did it mean? Perhaps if she just forgot it ever happened, it would go away, and she could go on with her life. "…It's nothing, Yami."

Yami knew she was lying, but he also knew that she would put up all her mind barriers on this one nightmare to make sure Yami never saw it. As if reading his thoughts (heck maybe she was), Carla forced a smile on her face and said too-brightly "Really Yami, it's nothing!"

"If you say so Carla…Just know that you can tell me anything." Yami said as he cupped her chin. Carla felt traitorous tears fill her eyes at his words: he's just as noble in my nightmare…Carla gave him a long kiss as she made herself memorize exactly how Yami's soft lips felt against her own. A breathless Yami hugged her harder. "I don't deserve you" he whispered to himself as he remembered himself kissing the other girl while he broke Carla's heart.

"What was that?" Carla whispered feeling all nice and warm against Yami.

He should tell Carla: it was just a weird dream after all…wasn't it? But then Yami saw the heartbroken face again, and he could just imagine Carla taking this the wrong way…

"Nothing."

But both of the two lovers kissed guiltily.

End flashback.

It was _just_ a nightmare! Carla kept repeating to herself, but her conscious thought otherwise. Stupid conscious. Ah well, it's time for the art exam anyways…

"Class, before we begin the exam, I wanted to introduce our new student who just transferred from Chicago. Her name is Nina Sky, and I hope you all welcome her to Florida!" said a cheery Mrs. Marcuri.

Nina Sky? Sounds like a bizarre name for an artist, or movie star or something…Weird…

Nina stepped out from behind the teacher and gave everyone a shy smile. With her slender frame, sky blue eyes, and beautiful long black hair…this Nina Sky was quite a looker. Those innocent blue eyes would make any guy want her…hey was she envious?! Hell, no

Carla snorted at the thought.

"Meeting people for the first time is like opening the door, and not knowing if there's bucketful of money, or a ravenous tiger behind it. You just have to hope it's the money."

-Me in a bizarre situation when asked to metaphorically explain first impressions

Nina had given a shy smile as she took in the familiar, comforting scents of acrylic paint and charcoal. Now, came the hard task. Who to sit next to?

Her azure eyes searched for a greeting: she saw some nerds, some sneers, and finally the girls' table. There we go! Nina made her way over there, very self-conscious as she tucked an unruly strand of hair behind her ear.

"H-hi," Nina stuttered. Stupid! They're girls like you, they don't bite!

There was a silence as every girl paused from her drawing, and looked up at her. No one greeted Nina back until…

"Hey Nina," finally greeted a Hispanic girl with dark brown hair set at her shoulder, a strong set jaw, and full lips. She was beautiful as if she'd visited both God and the devil when they made her: you didn't know whether she'd bite or smile. Still, she looked polite, and friendly. "Would you like to sit over here?" the Hispanic girl asked as she gestured toward an empty stool by her. Nina looked over at her quirky grin, and smiled: this girl looked like she had a good sense of humor. Why not? About to say yes, Nina was interrupted.

"What?! Sit by you? I'm sure Nina would like to sit over here…" said a pert blonde as she pushed off one of her posse and patted the now-empty seat beside her. Nina gawked at her forwardness.

"I believe I asked her first Angelica," the Hispanic girl growled to 'Angelica'.

"But of course, she'd pass up your offer in an instant Carla," Angelica said her icy blue eyes boring into Carla's brown ones. But Carla's glared right back.

"We'll see," Carla said quietly.

"No, we'll do better than "see". Nina, who do you want to sit next to?" Angelica said coldly as she trained her manipulative gaze on Nina.

Great, now every girl's eyes were on her as she was already forced to make a social-changing decision. She felt like she was a mouse who had been cornered into a corner by a hungry blue-eyed cat. She looked between Angelica and Carla and decided she preferred the polite, humorous Carla over the snappy, cold Angelica. Still, to be fair…

"Well Carla _did_ ask me first so…" Nina started out as she felt Angelica's icy blue eyes send a clear message to her: choose me or die. Nina gulped, visualizing a huge cat as its lethal fangs pierced into the helpless mouse. She didn't want to be that mouse. But she definitely didn't want to be near Angelica. "I'll sit by Carla." Carla beamed and stuck her tongue out at Angelica. Angelica grumbled something that sounded an awfully like "Stupid b----. She will pay"…but Nina who believed there was good in everyone pretended she didn't hear.

"Hey," Nina said.

"Hey I'm Carla (Carla smacked her head)…well DUH. Sorry, exams seem to take up all of my brain space." Carla said with her wry grin. Internally she was thinking though…wow, great first impression, Carla. You might as well say you're a retard.

Nina chuckled and said compensatory "We all have those moments."

Carla smiled back: maybe first impressions weren't so bad…

"Here, I'm sure you're getting quite bored." Carla said as she gave Nina a piece of a drawing pad and a charcoal pencil.

"Not bored exactly…(Carla gives Nina a yeah-right look) Okay, okay I'm bored, but I'm quite interested by your starfish drawing…" Nina said as she glanced at the beginnings of Carla's drawing. Carla looked at the drawing and burst into laughter.

Did Nina say something wrong?

Noticing Nina's confused look, Carla said as she wiped away tears of joy, "No, it's not you…just that the drawing was of a guy...A guy I will now call starfish." Carla started giggling uncontrollably again, and an embarrassed Nina, realizing her mistake, started to draw.

/Carla, stop laughing. It's not that funny!/ said an irked Pharaoh.

One word: Starfish.Carla put a fist into her mouth to muffle her laughter as Mrs. Marcuri walked by, shaking her head disapprovingly.

/Carla? Are you even paying attention!/

Starfish.

/By RA CARLA! You're so unreasonable! Continue your drawing of me, you don't want to be the first to fail do you?!…My hair doesn't even resemble a starfish anyways./

Yes, it does…But I guess I do have to finish the drawing…(she looked as if she was going to stop but that would be so un-Carlalike)…of my Starfish man.

/ARGHHHHH! You're so impossible!/

Carla merely chuckled and she continued to sketch her "starfish".

Nina was doing her own version of her "starfish", but in this case she was drawing her Yami's lethally, spiky hair. Hmmm…a few adjustments here, a spike here and there…_voila_! There was a roguish Bakura smirking back at her in his usual conceited way. But somehow, Nina knew she wouldn't have it any other way.

((Hmmm…))

Nina blushed as she came out of drawing trance, realizing that Bakura had been watching her the whole time.

(((So…what do you think?)))

((Not bad…)) In truth, Bakura was amazed at how Nina had depicted him so perfectly. He glanced over at her as she started to smudge in some brown to add some color to his pupil. He watched as she got a smudge of brown on her nose and cheek, and it was rather cute to see. Instead of stopping Nina from unwittingly smudging her whole face brown, he reached over and cupped Nina's face with his spiritlike one. He gently wiped the smudge with his thumb and then as an explanation to his bizarrely nice act he simply said ((I'm going to have to use that body one day so it might as well be clean.))

So Bakura.

Nina smiled (((Thanks Bakura that was nice of you.))) Bakura grunted and in Bakura language that could be loosely translated into a "your welcome". Very loosely.

"Okay class time's up! Your exam is over." said Mrs. Marcuri as her voice cut through the children's' drawing stupor. Carla rubbed her eyes as she leaned back and admired her work. If this drawing didn't get an 'A' than she didn't know what would.

"May I see it?" Nina's polite voice asked Carla.

"Sure, let's switch." Carla said as she switched her drawing over and got Nina's paper.

Nina and Carla both gasped in admiration of the other's work.

But as for their Yamis'…

Both of their eyes widened in shock and horror as they recognized the other's face.

'It couldn't be…' Yami thought as his crimson eyes looked in disbelief. He was dead a hundred years ago; Yami was even the one who finally banished him to the Shadow Realm!!!!

IT JUST WASN'T RADAMN POSSIBLE!

Oh, but it was.

Bakura first reaction something along the same lines as Yami: Oh fk. (a/n: ok maybe not) Hades is out to make my life a living hell; Ra, I only dyed his hair neon pink on the day of his official God meeting…Some people just have no sense of humor…

But then Bakura's eyes widened as it began to sink in…It. Was. The. Baka. Pharaoh…_the pharaoh?!_

'OH **FK**!'

It had sunk in.

People say that first impressions are what count. Well, based on first impressions, Carla and Nina were off to a great start. Yami and Bakura…uhhh, not so much.

The Millennium Ring suddenly appeared on Nina's chest as Nina looked closely at the drawing.

"Wow, nice drawing. He looks like an Egyptian or something…" she said as she gave the usual 'ooohs' and 'ahhhs'.

"Yeah, he's supposed to be a…errrr…version of my boyfriend…as an Egyptian pharaoh…"

Even to Carla this sounded like a load of bull. And she was pretty gullible.

Step 1 to getting a person to think you're not insane: admit that you're crazy in a sarcastic way.

She blushed red and said an immediate "Uhhh…yeah I'm a weirdo." Nina lost her whoa-you-must-be-a-majorly-obssessed-girlfriend look and answered, "Well, he has really cool eyes, and you really seem to know a lot about Egypt by the gold…"

"Well, yeah I adore his eyes and his chest is to die for…(Carla blushes at her forwardness) I mean, uh, I-got-the-gold-jewelry-from-making-him-get-them-from-his soul-room-but-Yami-doesn't-like-it-'cause-he-said-the-crown-really-used-to-stick-to-his-forehead-and-cause-some-permenant-horus-eye-mark-on-his-forehead-so-kids-called-him-three-eyes…um, yeah." Carla said all in one breath as she babbled. Her mind was screaming at her to shut up: Nina doesn't know about Yami! Unfortunately, Carla got the memo too late.

This was what happened when you lose human contact with your best friend when she goes to California. Darn Natalie: she had no one to talk about on Yami and other girl stuff…so she had sort of channeled that frustration towards Nina.

Nina: O.O

"Um, what'd you say?" said Nina as she clearly saw Carla as unstable. She was starting to subtly scoot her stool away.

When you are one of the few people who fail Step 1, proceed to Step 2: Denial.

"Uhhh, nothing. Hey, you're drawing's really good! Who is it?" Carla said a little too cheerily.

"Oh, it's of a guy I met…" Nina said vaguely, faintly blushing, and the topic was effectively changed. Whew, that was a close one! For a second Carla thought her Yami secret was out-

"I know you're secret little girl!…" barked a harsh voice.

Oh crud. Carla tried to calm down, by telling herself that maybe she was just over-reacting: Nina couldn't possibly know her secret…and Nina had NOT just called her little.

"What secret?" Carla said with wide innocent eyes. She gave the strange, new Nina her best smile with a clear 'who me?' look on her face. This Nina didn't buy it for a second.

"Don't play Carla…" she whispered nastily. Carla's body froze with shock as she heard Nina leer her next words with a smug smirk…

"Or should I say _Pharaoh_?"

The secret was out.

Double crud.

Phew! Sorry if I left you at sort of a cliffie but I have to study for my history quiz! I'll update soon though!

Next chapter: the showdown. Yami vs. Bakura

I know this is embarrassing to ask, but what exactly does OOC mean?

R & R!

-Starlet36


	6. Battle of Wills

YAY! Lots of Reviews! I feel so loved that all of you indirectly, or directly answered my OOC question, and if you didn't, you tried! OOC Out of Character. Got it. So Special thanks to Dark Wolfess Yoru Okami, Pugz, Possessed Squirrel, Panmotto, Silently Broken, Muse of the Stars, Ann, Chibes, Maistwin, and animekiTie!

To Silently Broken: Thank you for answering my question, and although I made Nina attractive Austin just went after her because he's the school pervert (as can be seen in the 1st story when he 'tries' to go after Carla. Tries being the key word: Yami made sure of that)

Lately I've been researching what happened to Bakura so I can get a better sense of how to tell this story. WARNING: HUGE SPOILERS OF ANIME SERIES. What I know so far: **1.** In the past Bakura died (by priest Akunadin doing a freaky spell) and was reduced to sand. **2.** Priest Akunadin (the guy who created the Millennium Items and was given the evil God Zork's power which Bakura had wanted) has a son who is priest Seto (who didn't know of this) whom he wants to be king. Akunadin is also King Akunumkanon's brother…so that means all he has to do is kill the King's only heir. Atem. **3.** Yami ends up sacrificing himself with Zork to stop "Zork" from being released into the world. How does he beat the almighty evil God of destruction and slaughter? Hasan (perhaps another God?) was sent by the King to protect Atem so when Atem died his request had to be fulfilled. However when he has to defeat Zork in the present he did it with quote 'the power of friendship'. Typical. Then, the present Yami goes back in time and makes Seto the next Pharaoh. **4.** Bakura and Yami (in the present time) had to battle because Bakura wanted to resurrect the wicked god named Zork again. So they play this game called Dark RPG (?) 5. Yami wins…somehow…against Bakura…and Bakura…errr disappears…?

Questions I would really like to know: I know Diabound is Bakura's ka but what the heck is he?! Who exactly is Zork?! Why does Bakura worship him so religiously?! More information on Bakura's demise would be extremely helpful to me and this story.  
Anyways… Disclaimer: Me no own.  
The reason i didn't update yesterday because my computer chose the perfect time to screw up and crash. But for some reason it's working now so...I WILL write as much as i can before it decides to "screw up" again.  
Onward to the story! Enjoy.

* * *

Nina's now-hazel eyes became colder, and was it just Carla or did the hair just become spiky?! Before Carla could ask what the heck just happened, she felt the Millennium Puzzle around her neck glow and she lost control of her body.  
(a/n: to readers who haven't read the first story when Yami takes over Carla's body…just imagine Yugi's tri-spiked hair on a girl with brown hair…::cringe::) 

A feminized Bakura glared at feminized Yami who glowered back.

It was on.

But before Bakura and Yami could begin their showdown…

"Class, the exam is over! You may now leave." Mrs. Marcuri said cheerily as she collected the drawings. "Uh, Nina, Carla…I said you could leave." reinstated Mrs. Marcuri as she watched the two girls glare daggers at each other.

"Let's go outside shall we _tomb robber_…" Yami growled as he realized the teacher and some of the students' were giving the odd looks.

"Of course _Phar-aoh_. Let's." Bakura leered as he gave the teacher a sarcastic bow, and hooked his arm in with Yami's. Anyone else might've mistaken this for just friendliness. But Bakura wasn't getting friendly with Yami: he was seeing how hard he could squeeze Yami's arm before he screamed.  
Yami was biting his cheek to prevent himself from crying out. He walked stiffly out the door muttering obscenities.

If anything noticed something odd about the pair they said nothing.

Once they were outside though and on the front lawn of the school…

"PHARAOH!"

"TOMB ROBBER!"

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" both yelled in each other's faces at the same time.

What a lovely hello.

Both hikaris watched this "interesting" greeting, floating near their Yamis.  
"You a hikari too, I assume? Of the handsome man in the picture?" Carla asked calmly as she sat cross-legged on the air. She seemed to be taking the whole Nina-has-a-yami-too-who-is-now-spitting-in-my-Yami's-face incident rather well. Lack of sleep was really affecting her judgment.

"Uh, yeah, I suppose so. I've had him for a day…Ow, that had to hurt." Nina replied amazed at her spiritlike form. She watched Bakura kick Yami in the shin as he whipped out his sword.

"Yup." Carla gazed on lazily. She was so tired…

"Um, aren't you worried? My Yami, Bakura, is really good with a sword, and I don't think he's slashing the air just to show Yami how cool it looks." Nina said, wincing as Yami barely dodged a slash of the sword. Bakura blamed it on the limitations of the body. He gave a growl of frustration and with a painful blast Nina had her body back: Bakura had decided to the power of two spirits, and materialize. Yami gave a satisfied smirk at Bakura's growl and gently gave back Carla's as he too decided to just materialize. Nina winced when Bakura gave Yami a painful slap with the flat of his sword. Secretly though, she had to admit Bakura looked dashing when he was being a swordsman...Bah, stupid thoughts.

"He's fine…I mean I'm sure deep down, these two are ecstatic about their reunion." Carla said as she dismissed the "reunion" with a hand.

Ecstatic…sureeeee.

"Uhhhh, Carla I think you really need to get some sleep." Carla yawned, and gave a drowsy "Mmhhhhhhmmm". Nina had a feeling Carla could witness a murder and all she would give was a surreal "Mmmmhhhhhmmm". Her newly acquainted friend really needed some sleep.

Meanwhile…  
"I thought you were in the shadow realm until the Gods decided you were enjoying yourself too much so they sent you to hell!" Yami bellowed.

"Yeah, well I thought so too…Then the Gods decide to punish me and get me a hikari girl to "reform" myself. I should've known they'd get the stupid idea from you!" Bakura yelled back as his blade came scarily close to Yami's neck. Yami ignored the blade and held a crimson flame in his palm hidden behind him.

"Stupid for the Gods then! I doubted even Ryou had an effect on you!…I saw those bruises you gave him…" Yami growled. Nina gasped: Bakura _was_ abusive! Living with him 24/7 was going to just oodles and oodles of joy. Not.

Bakura rolled his eyes, "I reached a truce with him eventually…" Bakura had heard Nina's gasp and he looked at her directly when he said his next words "I was angry at him for being…so weak. Like you…But I made a promise to never hurt him again…or any other hikari…(Bakura notices that he's starting to talk sappy)…Much. (Ahhh, much better. He despised sappiness)."

"Bull." Yami said as he snorted at Bakura actually keeping a promise. Bakura raised an eyebrow and the deadly silver point made contact with Yami's cheek.

"Well, I'm sure you've been having a good time Yami. Have you been having _fun_ with your new hikari?" Bakura drawled out, knowing that he had hit a raw nerve.

"TAKE THAT BACK!" Yami snarled.

"Make me."

Yami unleashed the fire ball at Bakura, but Bakura dodged it. Only a part of his robe was left singed. Bakura grimaced: it was his favorite…  
He would make him pay.

"Bastard…" Bakura's blade finally made contact with Yami's cheek. A small mar on Yami's face all the same, but it still stung like mad.

"Asshole!" Yami could hear Carla telling him to calm down, and think rationally. He thought he could until-

"Mother F#$$#!"

Yami punched Bakura in the gut, and from that moment on, it all became a blur of metal, fire, and arms trying to grasp the other's throat.

"Ecstatic reunion, huh?" Nina said as she got up from her position, and ran over to Bakura.

"Oh shut up," Carla said as she ran over to a panting Yami. Carla wrapped an arm around Yami's waist, "Stop it Yami. It's getting dangerous" she clearly demanded into his ear. Yami gave her a no-kidding look as Bakura was attempting to strangle him.

"I'm a little busy now Carla," Yami said through gritted teeth as Bakura's grip on his throat tightened. In return Yami tightened his too.

By their reddened faces and quick breaths, one had to wonder how long it would take until both their heads just exploded.

"Bakura…?" Nina said shyly as a red-faced Bakura turned to scowl at her.

"What is it brat, can't you seem I'm busy?!" Bakura managed to choke out. Nina could feel her bravery slipping as Bakura's piercing dark brown eyes bore into her innocent pale blue ones. She envied Carla who could just wrap an arm lovingly around her Yami and tell him straight out what she wanted. Wait, she meant the telling him what she wanted part…not the wrapping of arm lovingly…

"C-could you please let go of Carla's Yami's throat?" Nina asked, stuttering. Bakura gave her a superior look that clearly said are-you-stupid-or-what?

"No brat. I won't stop strangling this (nasty Egyptian word)! I know you joined the ranks of those who feel the wee wittle pharaoh needs protecting!" Bakura growled as he had obviously labeled Nina a traitor. Nina did the unprecedented and put an arm on his tense shoulder. Bakura flinched at her touch but didn't hurt her for it (but then again his arms were busy right now).

"Bakura, I'm not only worried over Yami…" she said quietly. Bakura glanceddown at her in disbelief. "Bakura for pete's sake, you're starting to turn purple! This must be stopped!" Nina cried in a shrill, worried voice as Bakura's face was indeed starting to turn a rich plum color. Yami wasn't faring any better.

"Not until he's dead…" both Yamis said in equaling chilling voices.

Carla and Nina both looked at each other in concern, knowing what they had to do. Had their Yamis seen the calculating, sneaky looks in their eyes, they would have known immediately that something was up…but they didn't: they had eyes only for each other. How sweet…if you disregard the fact that their eyes were locked together in a death glare staring contestas they both sputtered obscenities at the other.

"1...2…" Carla whispered as she hooked an arm around the oblivious Yami. Nina nodded, knowing that she had to be quick or Bakura would strangle her too.

"3!" Nina yelled as she rammed into Bakura with all her might as Carla did the same in the opposite direction.

**OOF!**

Both white-clenched hands sprung apart, as their owners tumbled hard on the ground in surprise.  
Nina had collided into Bakura's chest and now she found herself clutching her forehead in pain. Note to self: don't headbutt a guy with an awesome six-pack…As she lay on top of her Yami…

Wait a minute…

She was…on…top…of…_Bakura_?! As it all began to slowly click, she heard a deep rumble from underneath what could only be Bakura's chest.

"Stupid brat. If you wanted me so badly than you could've waited until after I killed the Pharaoh." Although Bakura sounded all tough and mighty, the wind had been knocked out of him by Nina's surprise attack. Though Bakura had to admit it did feel nice with her on top of him…hold on…he should only think lust-filled thoughts on worthy girls, not stupid hikari brats, right? Then he saw the pink tints in Nina's cheeks, and he decided to have some fun...

Bakura flipped himself over so now he was hovering over his hikari, his toned arms were pinning her in place. "Like the view, my innocent?" he asked with a seductive smirk on his face. Nina was blushing furiously, her cheeks flushed and she was sure she was radiating heat.

"Pervert," Nina muttered as she was quite aware of she and Bakura's position.

"I know, it's a shame!" Bakura said with mock sadness. Before he gave up on tempting her, he leaned down and whispered into her ear, "But you must admit I'm a handsome pervert all the same…" Nina shivered as she felt his warm breath tickling her ear. As Bakura got off, Nina was both embarrassed and breathless. She stood up, legs protesting as she thought over how Bakura became a bigger mystery every day…He was a pervert, of that Nina was sure.

But as for handsome?

Well, she wouldn't lie and say he wasn't nice to look at.

* * *

(X.X) Carla was looking up at the sky as little mocking stars danced around her head. Yami's huge bulk had landed on her as they both fell backward toward the ground. Carla was pretty sure that if this had all been a video game thstright now a huge, red "K.O.!" would be over her, and 1000 pts. would be over Yami's. God, she didn't know how heavy he was. 

Yami's hands were twitching with the blood rushing back into them as a dazed Yami himself groaned from the impact. He heard an urgent squeak from underneath him.

"Carla?" Yami said dizzily, as his face returned to its normal color.

::SQUEAK!::

Yami immediately knew that the grass was not so lumpy so that must mean…oh shoot.

"Carla, are you alright?!" Yami asked worried as he shifted the weight from underneath him to on top of his lap.

"Woooo…just a wee bit squished is all…" Carla said as she came to. She was feeling a little detached as she drunkenly staggered to her feet. She gave Yami a tipsy smile as she pecked him on the cheek, "You's heavy…shoulda listen to me and kept your temper! Naughty Yami…" Carla said, her words slurred. Being knocked out and lack of sleep produce the tipsy, drunk state of detachment Carla was experiencing.

"You aredefinitely going to sleep right now," Yami said.

"Aye, aye Captain!" Carla said with a salute as she tripped into Yami's arms.

"Agreed, Mr. Yami." Nina said as she walked over to Yami and Carla. Yami looked at her warily only for a moment until he met her innocent, doe eyes. Yup, with eyes like those she could be trusted.

"Ooooooh! I gots idea! Nina do you have plans over spring break?" Carla said with now-alert eyes.

"Um, not that I know of." Nina said having no clue what Carla was trying to lead up to.

"Good! You and Bakura can come over to my seaside cottage!" Carla said with glee.

"WHAT?!" both Bakura and Yami cried in surprise and horror.

"Yup. You're new, and are an interesting friend! I knows its forward of me though…" Carla said as her face became dramatically sad, with a pout and everything.

"I'm your friend?" Nina said surprised that after all Carla had seen she'd still want to be friends with her.

"'Course. Yous in Florida now Nina, (Carla forces herself to focus and correct her grammar), and most of us Floridians are very welcoming. So please think about it…" Carla said as she slumped against Yami once more. Her warm brown eyes never left Nina's though. It didn't take Nina too much thinking to know what her answer would be.

"I say yes! I'll just have to see if my Dad says yes too." Nina said as her eyes twinkled.

"What?!" Bakura growled, surprised.

"Is there a problem Bakura?" Yami asked testily as he saw Bakura's hand raised to strike the scared Nina. He instantly lowered it, and gave Yami a mocking sweet smile as he raised one of his fingers in a response whose meaning was universal. Yami crossed his arms but with no proof of a problem, he said nothing. But he muttered a four-letter word that made both hikaris cringe.

"Well, we'll see then. It's really close by anyways so you won't be too far away from your family…My family will be very pleased if you come, and I can you show you the beach, the mall, we'll have SO MUCH FUN!" Carla yelled as she used the last of her energy in that one burst of joy. Her features became weary as she finally gave in to what had been fighting her all day: sleep. "::yawn:: Sanchez out." Carla murmured, mimicking the closing words of Ryan Seacrest on American Idol. And she truly was. Yami smiled lovingly at his small hikari girl and cradled her as she slumped against him. Before he left though…

/It's not over yet tomb robber. I'll be watching you…/ Yami used two of his fingers to place them over his, and then he twisted it around in the clear you-better-watch-out-cuz-I'm-watching-you gesture.

((Pfff. In your dreams Phar-aoh.)) Bakura said with a dismissive wave.

TT /Bakura I'm warning you…/

((Whatever you say starfish.)) Bakura said with a sarcastic smirk. Somewhere in Yami's mind, there was a version of him sticking needles into a voodoo doll Bakura.

/…I wish you eternal pain and torture./

((And I you.))

I'm sure these were blessings deep down…very deep down…  
**Yami** (jabbing needles into voodoo doll): Die, Bakura die.  
**Bakura:** (picturing pharaoh dying in a grotesque fire, his screams of "I admit it Bakura; you're the best!" are piercing the air) ::smiles disturbingly::

Okay, maybe not so much.

* * *

'Hmmmm…Hi Daddy! I was wondering if I could spend spring break at a friend's sea side cottage?…You say how long I've known her? Uhhhh…one hour.' Nina was reviewing on how she was going to ask her father for permission while he and Adam had gone to sign Adam up for sports. So far it wasn't looking good. She glanced over at Bakura looking moodily through her window. 

Bakura and Yami were glaring at each other from the windows of the opposite house. They'd just discovered they were neighbors too.  
Fate had a very wicked sense of humor.

"Who's says you'll be going?" Bakura said nastily as he broke off from his current glaring contest, and sat down on the plush chair.Nina hated Bakura's mind-reading abilities.

"_I_ do." Nina whispered softly as she watched Bakura's reaction carefully. He smirked as he sauntered up to her, his face leering down at her.

"And who says that _your_ say matters?" Bakura murmured softly, his chilling voice cutting through the air like a murderer does as he asks its victim its last requests.

"I do…" Nina whispered meekly as she did not want to find out why Bakura's eyes were taunting her. She was the victim and she could feel Bakura's threats mocking her, daring her to speak out and rebel. Bakura's smirk grew wider. He put a finger under his hikari's trembling chin and murmured looking straight into the girl's stricken eyes, "Wow, you're really as stupid as I thought…" Bakura chuckled evilly to his own private joke as he enjoyed terrorizing the weak girl. Nina frowned, but she didn't know how to respond. Then she thought of Carla's bright face as she asked her to come.

"No, I'm not. I will go Bakura." Nina said softly as she tried to make her weak stand. Bakura's icy gaze instantly shattered it.

"Stupid girl, there is no pharaoh to protect you, no one to save you from me…" Bakura said as he laughed pitilessly at Nina's horrified expression. He closed the blinds as Bakura stung his tongue out to make it seem as if he were still playing with Yami. Yami bought it, but he did the I'm-watching-you gesture again.

"B-but you said you'd never hurt me…What about Amane?" Nina said, as she asked the last part in a very small voice. She knew she was treading on dangerous ground. Bakura instantly reacted and he smacked Nina's face hard enough to send her sprawling on the carpet. The red handprint was visible on Nina's cheek as she fought the urge to cry out; that would give Bakura satisfaction.

"DON'T YOU EVER USE **HER** NAME YOU WORTHLESS GIRL!" Bakura bellowed as he pulled Nina up to his eye level by grabbing her long hair. Tears were now trickling down her red cheeks as Nina whimpered unwillingly. Bakura scowled at her weakness: "Answer me!" he demanded looking prepared to strike her again. Nina refused to meet his eyes, but when her dear Yami kicked her stomach she finally gave in to his wishes.

"I…won't…say her name," Nina managed out, and Bakura let go, letting her fall to the floor with a hard _thump_. Bakura could feel the few blue sparks in his aura turning red again. They seemed to taunt him, making him remember that damn promise…Great, Bakura groaned, now I won't get to see Amane…

Nina had curled into a ball, tucking her chin under her knees as she quavered. It had been nine long years since she had been hit, and she hadn't missed a second. She could almost feel the faint trace of a scar under her shirt, reminding her of her punishments…

Nina winced.

She got up, looked straight past Bakura, and knelt by her bed. She put her hands together and looked up at the ceiling. 'Dear Lord, we've had this chat before haven't we? All those years ago…(Nina gives a bitter smile)…Some help you were. I asked for a guardian angel to protect me from my father. It never came. I thought maybe you'd sent my angel in the forms of my new family. Well, some help they are now. What did I do? What did I do to make me deserve this? I trusted you Lord to send me an angel, and you send me the devil himself! I don't know if you're just ignoring me, or you just plain hate me but Lord when I die…expect to see me in the complaining center. I hope you're sleeping up there in heaven Lord, all nice and Bakura-less…' Nina prayed to herself as she abruptly ended the prayer. She gave a final testimony to her angry, betrayed feelings by doing something very uncharacteristicand raising her middle finger up at the ceiling. Had Nina been able to see her aura, she would've seen the blue aura darken. Following her obscenity, Nina sat on her bed with a resigned look on her face as she looked directly back at Bakura. Bakura had heard the loud prayer, and he looked at a subdued Nina like she was insane. She was just going to give up?! Weakling.

"Go on Bakura, start cutting me up." She said in an uncaring voice. Bakura stood there, surprised at what she was saying. "I have no chance. You're stronger. Just get it over with already." Nina said with her dull blue eyes looking at Bakura's in an almost-bored fashion. Bakura didn't know how to respond. In all his millenias of living, he had never encountered a soul so willing to accept his punishment; so unafraid of it. It was unnerving.

"Who are you, and where have you taken Nina?" Bakura asked. If you can't think of anything to say, resort to sarcasm.

"I am right here Bakura." Nina said quietly as she gingerly massaged her bruised, hot cheek.

"No, you're not." Bakura said bluntly. "What happened to the innocent goody two shoes?"

"I'm used to this." Nina said shortly. Her eyes flashed for a moment, and the azure pupils darkened as she remembered her "re-education" days as her father quaintly put it. Bakura studied her reactions with a furrowed brow. He had spent enough of his life learning to memorize people's expressions so he could always tell if they were lying to him or not. Nina wasn't lying. There seemed to be a shroud of mystery and horror concerning Nina's past before she met the Sky's. Bakura remembered those screams…

"What happened in your past?" he asked curiously.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing." Nina said a bit too harshly. Bakura instantly could see she was lying straight through her teeth.

"Liar." He said. Nina then saw how ridiculous their situation was. She was sick of Bakura's mood swings.

Sweet goody-two-shoes Nina snapped.

"WAIT A MINUTE! One minute, you're beating me up when I mention a name, and then next you want to know of my past? What is it with _you_ Bakura?! You're such a darn mystery!" Nina snapped. Before Bakura could get a chance to retort, Nina continued in her tirade, "What happened in YOUR past Bakura?! What screwed you up so badly that you'll beat people up if they even say a name from it?! (Nina's voice quiets down to a whisper so low that Bakura had to lean in to hear it)…I've learned that every person has a turning point in our past that changes our lives forever…What happened to ours?"

Bakura remembered sweet, little Amane was ruined by merciless Death. He remembered the screams and the blood. Blood was everywhere…everywhere in life: one just couldn't escape it.

"Blood. Death. That's what screwed us up." Bakura said softly. Both Yami and hikari reminisced for a few minutes. Bakura broke out of his memories to see Nina silently crying with her eyes closed as she seemed to murmur a soft "Mother". Tears slipped down her cheeks, and Bakura felt a small twinge of guilt as he realized one of them was swollen because of him. Bakura didn't know what possessed him, but he leaned over to the girl and wiped the culprit tears gently off with his thumb. Nina's eyes flew open at his touch, and in that moment Bakura saw their vulnerability. The fragile shield Nina put up between her and her past was breaking. Bakura immediately put his hand back where it belonged, but his eyes weren't leering at her. They looked almost…kind?!

"Sorry. I was just a little…caught up in the memories." Nina said as she rubbed at her red, puffy eyes.

"No apologies necessary." Bakura said cockily. But his voice became tentative as he asked his next question. "…We both have screwed up pasts, don't we?"

Nina looked prepared to deny it, but she caught sight of Bakura's open face that had lost its maniacal malice for her. Instead, she saw a boy who looked truly lost and alone in this cruel world. The boy looked so tough on the outside, but inside he was so fragile. Nina felt her mind demand for her to just keep her mouth shut about what she was about to say, but her heart told her differently.

"Yes," she said quietly. She gave a sniff and curled up into her covers as she gazed at Bakura. Bakura had to admit, she looked sort of cute…uh, he meant cute for weirdoes and jocks and perverts. Not tomb robbers.  
Then Bakura got a wild urge to do something he had sworn to never do. He didn't know why the hell he was going to do it to a mere girl, but here he was. Perhaps it was those huge innocent blue eyes that stared up at him. He felt he could tell anything to those kind, azure eyes that looked as if they would take in whatever he said like an eager sponge. His reasonable side told him to ignore the urge and keep quiet, but hey, since when was Bakura reasonable?

"Would you like to hear a story, brat?"

* * *

I considered adding more to this chapter, but it seemed so fitting to just end it there and leave you in suspense. BWUHAHAHAHA! You know lately I seem to be updating every Thursday (well really Friday) night just because I can do a chapter in a week…weird, it used to take me longer…Ah well.

The next chapter: uh Bakura will read a bedtime story to Nina, then tuck her, and tell her to "not let the bedbugs bite!". Um, Not. JK. (just imagine Bakura with a fairytale and being forced to read it. He would just die! I love it…  
Bakura: I hope you're not getting any ideas…  
Me: ::wink:: We'll see…  
Bakura: Noooooo!)  
Anyways, just think about what this last part of the chapter was all about and you should get what the next chapter is all about.

PLZ R & R!

-Starlet36


	7. The Thief King

Reviews, Reviews, Reviews! Lalalala!

Thank you everyone who did it, but unfortunately to the many who gave me a website to go to…I didn't get it. Sorry. Stupid :sniff: Oh well, hopefully the one site I used will be enough to tell this story.  
Go here for one awesome picture of Bakura:janime . netthengo to click Eng, then images, and then Thief Bakura for more pictures. I love this website it gives you so much info!  
Disclaimer: Don't own.  
Warning: Long chapter. Expect reviews from all of you.

* * *

"There are people you can easily categorize: from the overrated goody-two-shoes to those predictable jealous/angry murderers…It is simple just to label them "good" and "evil" and leave it at that. But then, there are some who defy the stereotype, who make you question yourself, your heart, and all of your morals. They make the line between good and evil fuzzy. You will both fear and love these complex souls...I am one of them."  
- The thief king Bakura (in speech to fellow thieves) 

"Errr…Bakura could you repeat that?" Nina asked confused. "I think I'm going deaf because I just heard you say YOU were going to tell ME a story." Bakura rolled his eyes and considered denying his question. But those damn blue eyes were staring up at him so openly, so brightly…

"You're not deaf. Just stupid. You heard what I said…" Bakura said softly, knowing that this was costing his pride a huge blow. For a moment Nina thought that this situation was almost laughable: Bakura was going to read a story. She tried to picture Bakura holding a bedtime fairytale like _Cinderella_ and reading it to her, but she couldn't: it just wasn't Bakura.

Then she looked up at Bakura, and the solemn expression held in his dark, mysterious eyes. Bakura bit his lip, and Nina knew that it was costing his ego big time to say this. She saw that lost, pained boy again in him.

And her heart melted.

"No, you're right I did hear you. Now what's this story about?" Nina said kindly as she sat up, alert under her covers. Bakura went over and sat on the edge of her bed. He turned to look at her for a moment as if having second thoughts, yet despite the long silence, he still went through with it. But Nina already knew the answer before Bakura even opened his mouth.

"Me." He said softly. Regretfully. He turned his face away from Nina and his long, flowing white locks hid his face from view. He continued on, his eyes unfocused as he forgot he was in a room, sitting on a fluffy bed talking to his stupid hikari girl. Bakura and Nina were now in Egypt.

"I have done many things that would traumatize even the best of humans. At best some would call me mentally unstable…Most would call me a monster. This is no fairytale. This is no joke. This is my life."

(a/n: From this point on whatever Bakura says or thinks, he will also be relaying to Nina.)

"You know how every villain has their 'spawn of evil', well mine was in Kuru Eruna Village. My beloved home." Bakura said as his voice choked up for a moment.

"I grew up in one of those small villages where everybody knew each other. Sure, most of the people didn't have the cleanest records, but they were very kind and only wished the best for their children. And sure, it wasn't the ostentatious Palace, but as a mischievous, young boy it was more than I could ever wish for…" Bakura trailed off uncertain of how to describe it: the whole experience, the trials, the horrors he had witnessed and caused…They deserved more than mere words. Might as well start from the beginning…

"I was born on a full moon. It was supposed to mean good fortune." Bakura said bluntly as he laughed bitterly. Nina wished more than ever that his hair wasn't covering his face, his emotions.

"My parents were so happy when I was born despite the white hair that would always label me as a freak. I got it from my father…" Suddenly Nina and Bakura saw his family as if they were in Egypt, all those millenniums ago. Bakura's father was exactly like Bakura in so many ways except his spiky white hair was cropped short, and with his warm, smiling face you would never expect him to be the father of a murderer. "Ah, but it wasn't until he was dead that I found out that my father had stolen to support us in that awful year of the drought. He didn't want to, but we were so poor, and he couldn't bear to see his children's hollow cheeks, and thin, frail limbs from malnutrition."

They could see Bakura's father creeping up behind an unsuspecting noble. He was obviously inexperienced in this sort of stuff because he blundered, and stepped on a twig. The twig made a loud cracking noise, and the noble immediately looked up with his eyes, one of those "eyes" being the Millennium Eye. By the time the noble could react, Bakura's father had rammed into him, and snatched the sash filled with gold. He prayed up to Ra that he would forgive him for stealing from an old nobleman. But before he could run far, an eerie, chilling voice came from the grey-haired man.

"You think you can run…Makoto?" the old nobleman spat at the irony of the name (a/n: it means sincere, honest) as Makoto stopped in his tracks. Without turning around he said quietly, "How do you know my name?" The man chuckled cruelly. The Millennium Eye gleamed malevolently.

"I am a priest." He said shortly while Makoto thought 'Shoot.' "I know about your beloved wife, _Mairi_ (this name seemed to cause the man particular discomfort and pain as he glared at Mairi's husband), your son, Bakura, and your little daughter, Amane." He continued enjoying Makoto's fear conveyed slightly trembling figure.

"Ah, but don't worry. Run now, and feed your wenches. Fatten them for me, because your little town of dirty brutes and whores will be my new target."

Makoto ran as fast as he could, not knowing how true those words would become.

Bakura and Nina both blinked in shock at the startling flashback they'd just received. Bakura soon recovered though and he said nostalgically, "I still can't believe our misfortune, out of all the people he had to steal from it had to be from the almighty, maniac Priest Akunadin."

Nina reached over and lightly touched Bakura's knee. "Fate is very cruel." She concurred. Bakura swatted the slender hand away. "Cruel!" Bakura barked, a haunted tired look in his face that no amount of sleep would cure. "This is nothing compared to what came next…"

"My mother was a very beautiful woman, with her prized, long mahogany hair and the warm chocolate eyes she would pass on to me. She wanted us to be educated so she home schooled us…" Bakura paused as he could see a younger version of himself and little Amane "diligently" working on the wax tablet. As soon as Mairi's attention was diverted to the baking of the bread, Bakura put down the stylus. His warm brown eyes were twinkling in mischief. He longingly eyed the only means of escape, the recently made hole behind the small stack of prized possessions that had a flimsy sheet covering it. Amane gave a disapproving frown. "'Kura! Mommy wants us to work on our hieroglyphics; you can't just run off like this."

"Am-ane! How can you think of stupid hieroglyphics on a day like this! I'm going to go out and explore," he said as he ignored Amane's pleas to stop. He couldn't use the door, it was squeaky and made noises loud enough to wake the whole town up. He needed to slip away unheard, and as he was halfway through a young Bakura realized three things.

1. Maybe you _should_ listen to your little sister.  
2. With his body stuck midway through the hole, Bakura knew he should've measured it.  
3. All mothers have a sixth sense just for their children. Lucky for him. Not.

Which is how Bakura found himself staring at the bottom-half of his mother's plain white dress with her slender foot tapping impatiently. Bakura knew he had to put in a defense now before his mother could get started.

"Mom, before you start, I wasn't trying to escape, honest!" Bakura lied blatantly while mentally thinking: I am so not going to the afterlife. He continued talking to his mother's foot as he thought of an excuse, "…I was just err going to get some fresh air and-"

Mairi bent down to Bakura's eye level and said with a smirk lighting up her kind face. It looked odd, but instead of going into a tirade on Bakura shirking his studies, she simply said with a raised eyebrow, "Amateur."

Out of all the words Bakura had been expecting to hear, this was definitely not one of them. He looked up at his mother stunned.

"If you're going to escape sweetie, you should've done a distraction and then snuck up the roof via those stools. You have to learn to be clever, honey," Bakura's mother continued as she squeezed Bakura out of the hole with a small grunt.

"Where did you learn that Mom?" Bakura said in awe of his mother's cunning intellect. Mairi tweaked her son's nose lovingly, and gave him a wink as she led him back inside. "Education is a wonderful thing, no?" said Mairi as she did an antic she hadn't done for many years, before she met Makoto. She back flipped and with a cat's reflex she landed exactly on the stool.

Bakura resolved to study till his brain gave out.

…

"From later accounts many years later I learned that she had been a saucy yet kind girl in a world where such an attitude would be long put out. It was inevitable then that when she saw her wealthy, noble father beating one of his stubborn, headstrong slaves, that she would lash out. Mother denounced her family name, and eloped with the slave. That slave being my father. To help support her new husband, she performed acrobatics for money and did the occasional pick pocketing. As soon as I was born though she became a full-time mom, putting her past behind her." Bakura said wistfully. Nina longed to comfort him, touch him, to see if she could somehow grasp the mystery that was Bakura. The former tomb robber took a deep breath as he realized that he was halfway into his story, and it would all go downhill from here.

…

Mairi stood near the doorway cutting up the puny vegetables, the only food they could afford to put in the stew. Her gaunt, hollow cheeks were prominent in the dim lighting as she gave the studying children a loving smile. "Mother would always give us children her food portion…She became so thin, but she always said she could skip a meal but she couldn't live if her children starved." Bakura said as a final tribute to his beautiful, clever yet soft-spoken mother. This was one of the last images he had of her before…before _it_ happened. He shook his head sadly at the thought, suddenly feeling as if his head couldn't support him with the awful memories it possessed. But it only lasted a moment, and Bakura continued as if nothing had happened.

"Then there was my little sister Amane. She was so small, and looked exactly like my father with the blue eyes minus the spiky hair. She was constantly following me, wanting to be as tough as her idol, big brother Bakura." Bakura said and his tone became bittersweet. His promise…broken…Amane's little face looked up at him so trustingly…

…

Bakura and Amane were walking barefooted on the cool Egyptian sand as a breeze rippled their light clothing. 11-year old Bakura tried to look annoyed as his 7-year old sister clung to his arm like they were physically glued together, but he couldn't help the grin that came from her antics. She was humming a song happily to herself.

"You know I shouldn't even be taking you here Amane. You HUMILIATED me in front of the guys…" a young Bakura pointed out.

"So?" Amane said as she continued humming her little ditty. She kicked up her heels in time for each beat as she tried to get Bakura to join her.

"_So!_ You got father to make me take you along in our hunt? I had to carry my wee little sister while the other guys were carrying home rabbits, desert mice, and fowl! I'll never be able to show my face again," Bakura whined, trying to shake of his sister's iron grip. No use.

"So where a bag over your head next time you see them. What's the big deal nii-sama? I just wanted to watch you guys!" Amane retorted in her musical little voice as she flipped her long white hair into Bakura's face. Bakura spat out the wisps of offending white hair, and scowled at his sister.

"First of all I don't want to be your babysitter, and second of all if you wanted to watch then you should be prepared to keep up-" Bakura was cut off when he saw THE pout. No one could resist the awesome powers of this pout. This was the look Amane had given their mother when she broke the dishes with her muddy fingerprints all over them…yet she had still managed to convince Mother that it was Bakura _who was on the other side of town! _It sucked being the oldest.

Must…resist…

Oh, no not those darn puppy eyes!

And tears too! Ra, this pitiful heart-wrenching sight was starting to overwhelm him.

"B-but I just want to be like you nii-sama. Won't you pleez let me stay with you?" Amane said in her saddest voice as she gave Bakura her cutest pout combined with the irresistible puppy dog eyes filled with tears at the corners.

Strong, Bakura, strong…

The bottom lip started trembling and she stuttered in her cutest, most helpless voice "P-Please?"

Bakura felt his shield crack. Too much…

"Fine!" he barked, trying to sound menacing yet failing as he felt Amane's face light up in a bright grin that was so contagious that Bakura found himself grinning as well. Like a disease, Bakura thought ruefully. "Lalalala! YAY! You and me are partners in crime! Comrades! Best-est Buds! Siblings Forever-"

"Whoa, take it easy sis," Bakura cut in, with that silly smile on his face. They had reached their spot on top of the sand dune. The siblings plopped themselves down on the sand, not caring if the sand got into their white cotton. In fact, Amane wriggled her toes into the sand with a sigh of delight. Without asking for permission she rested her head on Bakura's lean chest as they both stared up at the stars. Not wanting to ruin the moment, Bakura simply grunted, but he secretly enjoyed the little being resting near him as older brother protectiveness kicked in. "'Kura, lookit at that one up there!" Amane squealed as she pointed up at a particular cluster of stars. "Settle down there, midget," Bakura said sternly, yet he smiled at her enthusiasm. "Those up there are called The Big Dipper, and those over there are called The Little Dipper. Don't they remind you sort of like Mom's ladles for cooking?" He expected an immediate response like a squeal or something but there was only silence. He waited a moment or two, before shifting his head to look directly at her face. He certainly didn't expect the solemn, thoughtful look in her eyes.  
"Amane?" Bakura asked quietly, and Amane broke out of her daze but she still had a wistful smile on her face. She turned her head to meet her brother's eyes. "You know who those stars remind me of nii-sama?" she said softly.

"Who?" Bakura asked, unnerved by the uncharacteristic seriousness in Amane.

"Us." She said quietly but with solemnity. "You're that big dipper and I'm that little dipper you watch out for, if sometimes unwittingly." She said as her serious expression was replaced with her normal goofy grin.

"What's so funny?" Bakura asked, curious at the sudden mood swing.

"You. As. A dipper. _A spoon!_" giggled Amane as she erupted into hysterics. An annoyed Bakura rolled Amane off of him and she went rolling down the hill, clutching her sides as she was laughing to the point where her ribs hurt.

"I don't see what's so funny…" Bakura muttered as he slid down the dune. He checked to make sure Amane was okay before sitting himself next to his sister as they leaned up against the cushiony slope. Amane still continued to giggle.

"Amane stop giggling…(still giggling)…Er fine then…Amane, I just saw _your_ star." Bakura said, trying to distract her from the current topic of him as a Big Dipper. Amane loved stories.

"My _star_?" No more giggles. Mission accomplished.

"Yes, your star. You never heard the myth? (Amane shook her head and Bakura gave an exaggerated look of mock horror) It's famous! You always fall asleep so you can never hear the stories Mom tells me. Shame on you." Amane rolled her eyes, but said nothing to irritate him so she could hear the story.

"Well, whenever a human being is made by the Great God, that is so exceptionally good with a pure aura, or destined to do great things, the Great God makes a star for them."

"So you're saying I have a star just for 'ol righteous, 'exceptionally good', 'destined-to-do-great-things' me?" Amane asked with what would be considered a smirk on a less cute, innocent being. Cornered!

"Yup, but notice how small that star is. Puny. Just like a certain someone I know…" Bakura said not wanting to be considered nice. Amane playfully swatted his arm. "Ah, I'll admit it's small but look how brightly it shines!" Amane said shielding her eyes teasingly.

"Ah, dearest sister," Bakura said in the mood to tease.

"Baka boy, I'm your _only_ sister." Amane said as she resisted another eye roll.

"Exactly. Anyways, dearest, you may notice the huge, bright star to the right of your puny little one. You may wonder whose star that is. Don't worry your little head Amane, I have answers. It is mine! That star that is so beautiful, so huge, so bright-"

"So arrogant too." Amane added with a devilish smile. Bakura wrinkled his nose in distaste and said in mock admonishment, "Oh be quiet you. The all-powerful star is trying to speak here."

"More like spoon if you ask me." Amane said as she started giggling once more. Bakura groaned. "Let's just go home, it's getting cold out."

"My what a whiny little spoon you are."

"Amane I'm saying this for your own good, I don't want you getting a cold-"

"Alright Spoon, don't have a cow!" Amane said as she ducked to avoid Bakura's well-aimed swat to her head. He muttered something that sounded a lot like "Baka sister", and Amane started humming an annoying song in retaliation. Five minutes later though on their way home, Amane said softly, "They are nice stars, those two." Bakura gave Amane's petite hand a gently squeeze. "They sure are…The little one isn't too bad, but the big one besides protecting the little one…he's mighty strong, incredibly handsome…"

"Don't start with me Spoon." Amane said, but her eyes twinkled.

The two innocent children walked down the dirt path, towards their home. The two stars twinkled down at them.

Carefree they walked not knowing how their prefect world would come shattering down in an instant.

Not knowing of the horror that awaited.  
Not knowing that all but one of them would die that night.

"So did you really mean that part of the Big Dipper protecting the Little one?" Amane asked, trying to be nonchalant.

Bakura stopped humming and his mischievous chocolate eyes became serious. He slung an arm around his little sister, "Of course Amane. We'll be together forever, you and I. I'll always protect you."

"Promise?" asked Amane as she tried not to betray how important this question really meant to her. She failed, Bakura could see the longing in her eyes for a source of sanctuary in a time of uncertainty and troubling drought. Although she tried to act tough, she was really vulnerable at heart. Bakura's heart warmed; his little sister was sweetly endearing in every aspect about her. He loved her, and would do everything to protect her.

"Promise."

…

Bakura took a long pause. He ran a hand through his hair subconsciously. For some reason the air seemed too be suffocating him, and his breaths were ragged. Those memories that he'd sworn never to think of were looming in front of him. Blood, screams, corpses everywhere: no one could escape.

"Are you all right Bakura?" Nina asked softly as she gently pushed back some of the hair that hid his face. Quick as a flash, Bakura deftly snatched her wrist, prepared to hurt her, until she saw his hikari's eyes. So much like Amane's…

He let go and stepped away bewildered and lost. He no longer saw Nina, he saw Amane. "No, no, no," Bakura whispered as he clutched his head. He saw his little sister reaching out to him, "Help me Bakura! I don't want to die!" with the fright being overwhelming in her eyes. Yet Bakura could do nothing. Suddenly, Amane reached out and touched his cheek softly as she said worriedly "Bakura?"

Nina had reached over and touched his cheek, hoping for a response. Nina's touch seemed to jolt Bakura out of his memory and he saw Nina in the exact position Amane was, moments ago. Nina saw the lost, pained look in his eyes as he wildly stepped back.

"Bakura, if this is hurting you, please don't continue," Nina pleaded as she stepped back from Bakura. Bakura calmed down and said softly, "It hurts…but somehow I feel that I must. I cannot keep holding these memories untold. Go now, stupid brat, before I can change my mind." Nina bit her lip but followed orders, and got under her covers once again. "I just needed a moment…to prepare myself. Don't try and interrupt me though or I don't think I'll be able to continue. I'll only tell this story once before I can finally let this terrible past go. And then maybe I'll be left alone at last."

Nina nodded, and watched in anticipation. She felt like she was watching a car crash occur, and she could neither look away or call for help. Bakura had to face this alone.

"Now where was I? (Bakura tried to say in a false light note) Oh yes after all that star-watching and Amane and me were walking home…"

Bakura's face lit up in the saddest, angriest, and scariest look Nina had ever seen on a human being. His face cruelly twisted Bakura's face into looking like a haunted demon who longed to die…but that would be too kind; Fate wanted it to suffer.

"It was then that I saw the fire…"

Nina could see Bakura's body lying on the bloodied pavement as the car struck him full on. Her fears were confirmed by that one twisted, haunted, scary, sad look that neither belonged to a sane man nor an angel.

It belonged to a demon.

…

"We were walking down the road, and then I noticed an unnatural light emitting from our town. Even then, I had a sense of foreboding, but my sister recklessly rushed ahead and I followed. The sight that welcomed me back home will be forever engraved in my mind no matter what methods I have tried to erase it."

Flames were everywhere.  
Greedy, hungry flames.  
Devouring the houses, and licking their crimson-orange foul tongues on whatever was left. They cruelly wished to mock us Kuru Erulnians by showing us the corpses they had already laid their marks on. By those damn flames I saw what had become of the Baker, his wife, and my friends…They were dead.

Never have I wished more for a pitch black world than in that moment…so I could never have seen their looks of shock and horror as they became trapped within their locked doors.

I guess the few that escaped the fire thought themselves lucky.

But they didn't know of the genocide that awaited.

Amane gasped and she burst into tears at all the blood. I stood there stricken as I gazed at the face of my friend Kev, whose black hair and tanned body were singed with the fire. But it was his eyes, the eyes that every victim seems to hold, that unwillingly captivated me: the terribly blank eyes were glazed with death in their moment of utmost terror.

I think I might have cried if it hadn't been for my father coming up behind us. "You're alive, thank Ra!" he cried as he put both of us in a fierce hug. His spiky white hair was singed, and the sooty ashes dirtied his face, but a grin lit my face. He was the beacon in this nightmarish hellhole. He was alive and that was all that mattered. "Dad!" I yelled as my sister sobbed tears of joy in my father's tattered chest. Suddenly, my head was buzzing with questions, "Dad, what happened! Where's Mom? Is she okay!"

"She's…fine Bakura," Bakura's father said quietly. Bakura distinctly noticed the pause.

"Dad, don't lie where's Mom?" Bakura asked once again, searching his father's sky blue eyes for answers.

"She's _fine_ Bakura, but you two need to get out of here," Makoto said with urgency. He started ushering his children out of the burning ruin that was once their home. Bakura vaguely noted with dread that out of all the buildings in Kuru Eruna, it was Bakura's home that was the most damaged. What was going on?

They had almost reached the out-of-town boundary where all the other survivors were huddled, waiting for their leader Makoto when…

"Whose the leader of this _group_?" asked the captain of the Pharaoh's army as he spat the name "group" as if it were something foul. He had appeared out of the shadows near the desert trees. The captain was evil ugly piece of work with his oily, grey-streaked, mangy black hair, a showy bushy mustache and coal black eyes that seem to have no pupil, no soul behind them. Casually in his hand lay a leather whip that had surely been made of disobedient slaves' hides. If one were to judge by first impressions, Bakura would have instantly characterized the huge man as a cold-hearted villain. But he was head of the Pharaoh's army, and they're supposed to be the good guys, right?

Makoto's face became very grave as he kissed the tops of both of his children's heads whispering, "Watch out for each other, and no matter what, know that your mother and I love you two very much. I suggest you dirty your hair so you blend in, and take this coin for a hotel. Remember, _you_ do have the power to change your destiny…"

"Daddy you make it sound like we're never going to see you again," Amane said with a light-hearted smile as she clutched her only saved possession, her little doll. After a moment of no response, Amane worriedly tugged at her Daddy's cotton trouser leg, "Right Daddy?" she asked hoping to get a big bear hug and a 'Of course not!'

Makoto didn't reply.

Bakura's mouth was set in a thin line as it all slowly began to click. Before he could realize the gravity of their situation, Bakura's father pushed them away murmuring a heated "Go now my children, go!". The children only managed to run a few steps before they felt compelled to turn around and see what was going on. They were children after all with a child's insatiable appetite for curiosity.

They watched their father stand up straight so his brilliant white hair was clearly visible. He might as well have written in kohl "WARNING: REBEL LEADER" in bold black letters as he walked up to the captain with a subtle defiance in his step. You could tell by the Captain's curled lip, that he was not pleased with the first impression.

"So you're the leader of this group of mangy curs?" he practically snarled as he towered over Makoto. Makoto didn't even flinch, and his children watched in awe of this new side to their father they had never seen before.

"Yes, Captain Gentu Himmeloff," murmured Makoto in the soft-spoken voice he used to tuck his children in. "Though perhaps 'mangy curs' is not the best of word choice?" he added politely. The townspeople were caught between gushing for their hero or standing stock still in fear of what might happen.

"I'll call them what I please, is that right _slave_!" Himmeloff howled as he blindly punched Makoto in his rage. Makoto nimbly missed the blow, and continued as if he heard bellowing Captains of Pharaohs' Armies all the time, "Of course, Captain knows best." Had anyone looked closely at Makoto, they would have seen the pale face and the beads of cold sweat. Very few people knew that he had ever been a slave and all but one of those people had been the type you never wish to see again.

"Are you mocking me Makoto, leader of his 'brutes and whores'!" Himmeloff said in a tirade. Only this time his comment hit home: Makoto turned stark white. Only one person had ever made that exact same comment before. He had tried warning the people about him, he had tried to leave (too poor), he had tried to forget, but unfortunately, one can always remember what one wishes to forget.

"Akunadin sends his blessings…" the Captain drawled out in a voice so low only Makoto could catch it. "Your little pigs have been fattened up, Makoto, and now it's time for the butcher. Let the bloodfest begin." Makoto tried to cry out, to warn his people of the danger, but one of the mages had subtly put a strong silencing spell so he could only watch in horror as he watched the idiotic townspeople stand there vulnerably. His horror increased as he realized his stupid children were still here! Tears fell from his cheeks as he thought how none of them would make it out alive…

Was there no justice? Tears of pain, they were, tears of pain and sorrow.

"Tears of joy! Look at your dear leader, he's crying tears of joy!" the Captain said in a falsely cheery voice. He grabbed Makoto's cheeks and forced them into a smile. Makoto simply stood there stiffly, fighting with all his might against the spell.

"Line up into a straight line! Hail the almighty and beloved Pharaoh Akunumkanon who has decided to save you by allowing you to reside in his palace," recited Captain Himmeltoff as he started to walk closer to the people, Makoto in tow. "Come now, we'll give you medical attention and a home until we can relocate you." He said with a welcoming arm. One of the townspeople, Bert, tentatively took a step forward, but before he could reach the Captain two white-haired children in the back had caught his eye.

Oh this was just too good…

There was no mistaking there parentage, that hair stood out like a sore thumb.

"Children, are you scared?" asked the Captain as he pushed past the other townspeople with a smirk. The youngest of the two, a girl with wide, sparkling, blue eyes, seemed the most vulnerable. "Don't worry little girl, we'll get you some nice clothing, and we'll fix up that doll. Come along, your daddy would want that wouldn't he?"

Amane didn't like that greedy gleam in his eyes, but if Daddy said it was alright…

"No, Amane, I don't trust him," Bakura whispered so only Amane could hear. He subtly stepped in front of his sister. "No, no I think we'll stay here for now," Bakura said quietly his eyes flashing.

"Why! You don't have a home now, you need to rest and eat," said the Captain soothingly as a mage held out some blankets and delicious fruits and meats. Wow, that food looked good. One of the mages held out a perfect doll with porcelain skin and baby blue eyes temptingly. "C'mon we'll get you all cleaned up," said the Captain as he replaced her tattered doll with the perfect one. Both children were wary of the Captain but…

Those juicy fruit were making them drool. Bakura's stomach growled greedily.

The doll was so pretty…no Amane, stay faithful to your doll…

They looked up at their father whose face was blank, and the Himmeltoff discreetly forced the head into an approving nod.

"Ok…" Amane said shyly as she took the Captain's hand with trepidation. Bakura walked alongside her, and that act seemed to urge the villagers into acceptance as well.

The Captain gave a wicked smirk as he deftly grabbed his hidden dagger from his coat, and aimed it at Amane's backside. His intentions were clear. The two children walked innocently in front having no clue of the danger.

Time seemed to slow down for Makoto. This was torture beyond imagination. He could handle his own death, starvation, but _being forced to watch the murder of his children! _

He felt his heart swell: he had to warn them. The spell instantly resisted, but Makoto's will was much stronger than a mere spell.

"…No…" he whispered.

He would fight. The spell was like a thousand fiery daggers into his skin, and Bakura's body ached to resist it. But…he…would…do…it.

"No!" he shouted softly in a voice so hoarse that it could barely be heard. The mage heard it though, and started rushing over to him. Makoto punched him in his jaw. His body trembled as he mustered up all his strength to shout. The dazed mage looked up at him in awe: this spell was supposed to unbreakable.

"NOOOO! RUN BAKURA AND AMANE, RUN!"

Bakura and Amane had turned around immediately, out of harm's way. They gasped as they saw their swaying, fatigued father who had put all of his strength into that one warning shout. The townspeople immediately jumped out of Captain Himmeltoff, who gave a roar of rage, his greedy black pig eyes shining with murder in their eyes. He aimed the dagger and with a evil hiss the blade cut through the air aimed at a certain former slave's heart.

"IT'S A-"

The dagger hit its target.

Every person watched Makoto slowly fall backward, his glazed eyes fixed on his children, never knowing that the sleek dagger was making its way over with a deadly purpose.

The corpse landed on the sand with a thump.

Bakura didn't remember when his sister started sobbing into his chest. All he could see was the replay of his father falling over and over again. He closed his eyes but the bloody image refused to go away. Himmeltoff gave a chuckle oblivious to the sobs of the townspeople who were all standing stock still in shock. "Stupid slave. He told you not to mess with his daughter, but you didn't listen did you? You got what you deserved," Himmeltoff said pitilessly as he kicked the body.

Somewhere inside Bakura's innocent heart a flicker of hate was born.

Gentu turned around and got his dagger back with a grunt. "Just consider this an honor. You will all die for the sake of our great Millennium Items that will help Akunadi- I mean Akunakanon rule the world as the great Egyptians were destined to. Your sacrifices are necessary." He pointed its blood-tipped point at the children's spot, "You're next,"

He flung the dagger but the two children that were there two seconds ago were gone. One was running with his kid sister riding on his back. The dust he kicked up was mocking him as the only two people to ever escape the dagger's aim actually…escaped. Or so they thought.

It had finally clicked for Bakura. His father's death had been the key to awakening his understanding of the grave situation. The fire was no accident. This was a genocide. But there was still one question bothering Bakura: Why? Why would anyone want to murder them? Out of all the towns, why this one?

Bakura looked around him at the bedraggled, poor townspeople running around in a frenzy to escape. He watched as one man deftly escaped from the soldier's grip that held him in a way only one with devilish experience could. The next moment a spear was protruding from his head. Bakura watched the man the town had called "Crooked Pete" fall.

Then he suddenly knew his answer with painful realization.

No one would hear the dying screams of the crooked, poor Kuru Erunians.  
Because no one would care. They were just "brutes and whores" after all.

No one would miss Kuru Eruna.

Amane buried her head into Bakura's white hair as she tried to block out the noise of the screams and the doomed. She whimpered as she still cried silently over her father's murder. "Amane don't cry, we'll escape," Bakura said as he jumped over a fallen building and crossed an alley that was lit up by the flames burning around it.

"Bakura…Daddy's DEAD!" She wailed. "I…(hiccup)…want…(hiccup)…Mommy and Daddy! Where's Mommy! I want my Mommy!"

Bakura didn't know what to say to that. He didn't know how to console the poor girl.

"Don't worry, Mommy's here." Whispered a voice as cool hands picked up the child that Bakura had been lugging for the past five minutes. Bakura eyes widened in surprise as he recognized that voice anywhere.

"Mom!"

"The one and only." She said with a slight smile before she became serious. "You two need to get out of here. It won't take long before the soldiers come looking for people in here. Your father was supposed to usher you out…" Bakura's heart went out for their mother in that moment as he realized that his mother hadn't been with the other townspeople. She didn't know.

"Mommy…Daddy is…" Amane tried to say but she couldn't handle the next word. Saying it would make it a reality.

"dead." Bakura finished quietly. "The Pharaoh's army Captain murdered him,"

For a moment Mairi's face became stormy and tears slipped down her cheeks. "Makoto," she whispered sadly. But then she saw the fire around them and her two children looking up at her for support. This was not the time to grieve. She wiped her tears away, and stood up straight before she gasped in pain. Her children instantly became worried. "Are you alright?" they asked.

"No…(wince)…worries. Just a little (grimace) sprained ankle when I was escaping from the house. Stupid thorns and locked doors." Before the family of three could start escaping from the town soldiers' voices were heard nearby. The tension increased as they heard one of them say, "We've gotten almost all of them 'cept the white haired ones and their mother. The Captain wants us to keep _her_ alive." Mairi's lips were pursed into a very thin line as she scowled at the mention of the Captain. "Bastard," she muttered softly. Both children got the feeling that there was an unresolved conflict between Mairi and the Captain. She smiled and limped over to Bakura and Amane. She knelt down with a wince and embraced her children with a sense of finality. They could hear the muffled steps of the soldiers become louder and louder.

"Go now. I'll distract them. If you escape through that hidden alley it should lead you out of here. A couple of miles more and you'll reach Thebes." Said Mairi as she urged her children out into the small alley way to freedom.

"But Mom, aren't you coming with us?" asked Bakura as he already dreaded her answer.

"Bakura…" Mairi said softly as she cupped Bakura's cheek. "I am sorry you have to grow up so soon. But remember I will always look after you…in whatever form."

Bakura felt tears itch his eyes as he understood what his Mom was saying.

"I love you Mom." Bakura said fiercely as he tried to subtly wipe his eyes of the burning tears in front of this brave woman.

"I love you too my Bakura. Don't worry, I am sure you will do something great. As for you Amane, Bakura will look after you…"

"But what about _you_ Mommy?" Amane said still not wanting to believe the painful reality. Mairi's eyes filled with tears as she couldn't bear to tell her little daughter of what she was going to do.

"Mommy can't…" Mairi started.

"I think we've found them Captain,"

"Very good then. Dispose of the children…leave their mother to me." He said with a menacing growl." Said the Captain as his voice was just around the corner.

"There's no time Amane. If I don't do this you won't make it through the alley alive. I love you so much…(the two children stood there crying)…What are you still doing here! Run baka run!" she said as she shoved them into the alley before they could protest.

"Mommy!" Amane sobbed as her little fingers tried to reach out to her mother. Bakura picked her up and ignored her cries for her. For one last moment Bakura's brown eyes met his mother's exact ones. Tears were running down the cheeks of the brave woman as her pale tattered dress swayed in the wind among the flames around her. Mairi tossed Bakura a small goldenamulet with a horus eyes and an amber jewel that matched her eyes. She gave Bakura a small smile, and Bakura knew instantly that this was a family heirloom. He ran into the alley without another word.

…

Mairi wiped the tears away as soon as she saw Captain Himmeltoff's big hulking figure round the corner. He looked as if he had been prepared to gut someone with his dagger but he instantly lowered it as soon as he saw Mairi's slender figure.

"It's been so long Mairi…" he purred as he swaggered over to her.

"Not long enough." She said with clenched fists.

"Still sassy as ever, aren't you?"

"Still an asshole, aren't you?" she said. The Captain ignored this comment and tried to cup her chin. Mairi jerked out of his grip.

"Why do you still play hard to get, Mairi? There's no one left for you now. I killed him, my dear…it's just you and me now." He said in a husky voice. Mairi's warm chocolate eyes flashed dangerously. She was risking her ankle by her next move, but her anger was up to the point where she didn't care. She deftly grabbed his arm, jumped up slightly, and tossed him over her uninjured side.

"You just can't get it through your thick head, can you Gentu? I NEVER liked you BEFORE or AFTER Makoto. You murdered him and all those people just for me! That is insane! Hurt me, kill me…but as soon as you did it to my family…that is when you became a maniac." She cried in a rage. She ignored the sharp pain in her ankle.

"Oh don't flatter yourself. We didn't dispose of your precious little town just for you. There is a much bigger plan going on…you are just a bonus." He growled as he got up. He wiped the blood from his cheek and spit out a tooth that had dislodged from the fall. Gentu Himmeltoff started to walk over to her; his eyes had the murderous gleam back in their eyes.

"Where are the children, my dear?" No response. "Oh I see…trying to be the brave martyr and buy them some time to escape…how _heroic_…" he said saying the word "heroic" with his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm sure you'd talk to _Makoto_…" he said jealous.

"Of course you baka fool, he's my _husband_! I. WILL. NEVER. BE. YOURS."

"Shame really to see a pretty thing like you go…But if I can't have you, no one can." He said softly with his long dagger gleaming. With her injured ankle, Mairi had no chance to escape. She held her head up proudly though, as she smirked up at Gentu, at least her children would escape.

"So be it." she said softly, defiant to the end.

…

Bakura had barely made it five minutes out of the town before he heard a chilling scream of someone dying pierce the air.  
He had no doubt of whose it belonged to.

Bakura only ran faster, away from the screams of the pained and dying, away from Kuru Eruna. Unused to such hard running, his heart was pounding furiously and his legs finally gave out two miles into the way. He collapsed near the cool Nile River, making sure he took the brunt of the fall. He breathed deeply for a few minutes before checking up on Amane. Amane was in a sorry state; she was traumatized by the death of her parents.

"Amane it'll be okay. I'll make sure of it." Bakura said as he stroked his poor sister's hair.

"Why did they have to die!" she wailed, pounding her small fists into his chest. Bakura looked sadly at her, wishing he didn't have to play parent. He wished he could wail along with Amane, but he would never tell her that.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "If I could I'd change the past, I would…but I can't so there's no use in trying to change it. Amane, I'll try my hardest to give us the best possible future…" Amane lifted up her head and said quietly, "You pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise." Bakura said as he and Amane linked pinkies. Amane smiled and said in an apologetic tone, "I'm sorry I hurt you with my fists,"

"Meh, don't worry about it. You're too small to hurt me anyways."

Amane gave a weak smile as she said, "Well let me clean up before we continue."

"Okay…but make it quick, the soldiers might still be after us," Bakura said apprehensively. But he couldn't refuse her; not when she was starting to smile again.

"Just try to remain in sight," Bakura called out as he respectively kept his eyes down. He decided he might as well clean some of the cuts while he was by the river.

He would do as promised and ensure Amane a future. He could offer to work at farms, taverns, anywhere for food. It would be hard, but he could do it. He gave a small smile up at two particularly twinkling stars.

Considering the circumstances, he was pretty lucky to have made it this far. Almost too lucky in fact.

"Why hello Bakura, long time no see," said a voice that Bakura dreaded.  
It was Captain Gentu Himmeltoff. Fate must really hate him.

Amane had just finished fixing up her dress, and was about to try finger-combing her hair when she felt a hand clamp about her mouth. She tried to scream to warn Bakura but the stupid hand prevented that.  
"Amane, Amane, Amane don't worry. I won't kill you…yet. I want to make sure your brother hears your dying screams." he said softly in false comfort.

Which is how Amane found herself being held up by the evil Captain, a burly huge hand holding the shiny, deadly dagger pressed to her neck. As it was, she found his musky, bloody, dirty scent nauseating.

"Amane! Oh Ra, let her down you foul man!" Bakura yelled.

"I don't think so my young Bakura. You better do as I say or this knife might just, whoops, (the blade flashed dangerously and the Captain pressed it closer) slip."

Bakura's hackled raised up but he could do nothing while that blade was so dangerously close.

"I'll tell the police," he warned.

"Baka boy I _am_ the police."

Radamnit, thought Bakura furiously.

"Bakura help me! I don't want to die!" she cried out to her nii-sama. Bakura's heart wrenched as Captain Himmeltoff gave her a hard slap to shut her up. He made a decision.

"Leave her alone. Take me instead." Bakura said quietly.

"Sacrifice does run in your family, now doesn't it my dear boy?"

Bakura said nothing. His eyes only flashed angrily as he ground his teeth and curled his fists into tight balls. The Captain noticed this with amusement.

"I asked you a question Bakura. Aren't you going to answer me?" The movement with the blade showed that this was no question; this was an order.

"Yes it does." Bakura said through clenched teeth, bitterly hating the man. "Now let her go."

"And I want you to give me that dear amulet of your mother's as well."

How did he know! But with Amane in danger, she meant more than the family heirloom. Still, he despised thinking about his mother's cherished jewel in this evil, dirty man's hand. Anything for his little sister.

"Thank you Bakura, I knew you'd protect me," Amane whispered as Bakura walked over to her.

"Let her go,"

"The amulet first."

"Amane."

"Amulet."

It was clear as to who could do the bargaining around here and it certainly wasn't Bakura.

"Fine but promise _by the Gods_ to let her go,"

"I promise in Ra's name that I will let her go." No one could break a promise once you included one of the Gods in it or things could get…messy. (a/n: um major understatment)

Bakura thrust out the amulet and Captain Himmeltoff snatched it. But he still didn't let Amane down.

"You…promised by the Gods!" Bakura snarled. The Captain merely shrugged as he held Amane up with one arm and held the amulet in the other.

"Ah ah ah. Although I did promise to let her go…I never said when."

Oh shoot, both siblings thought using varying words to describe their situation.

"You know what I meant! Let her go!"

"Hmmmm…okay." Bakura and Amane blinked. "However, I'm afraid she must be dead before she goes. I'm sure you won't mind."

"NOOOOOOOO!"

"Please mister don't do it!" Amane begged.

He wouldn't hurt such an innocent little girl. He had to have a soul didn't he?

"Good bye little Amane."

Apparently not.

The blade cut across her beautiful innocent neck.

Bakura rammed into the Captain's legs and the Pharaoh's Captain went down with a hard thud.

Butit was too late.

"Amane," he pleaded as he stroked Amane's hair and tears ran unchecked down his cheeks. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was labored. "I'm so sorry Amane!" he sobbed. She looked like a broken doll. The blade had done a nasty work on her small body: it had run down her neck, across her abdomen, and down to her right hip. Bakura cupped her pale cheek, and tried to wipe off some of the blood to no avail.

"It's no use Bakura. I can feel Death coming for me." She said weakly.

"It's all my fault, I shouldn't have let you out of my sight." Bakura cried as he cradled his dying sister.

"No, Bakura, it's not. It…never…will…be. It's nobody's fault but the Captain's." she continued in between her gasps to hold on to life for as long as she could.

"I'll save you. We'll just wash these wounds and you'll be as good as new." Bakura said, denying her dying state. He tried to clot the blood with a strip of his cotton trousers.

"Bakura," Amane called weakly as her voice got softer and softer. Bakura had to lean in to hear her. "Stop denying it. We both know that I'm dying."

"It's not fair Amane, you don't want to die: you're too young! I should be the one he killed, not you!"

"It's not fair…but who says life is fair my Spoon?"

"I love you Amane." Bakurawhispered to the brave little girl. Her breaths were sharp with the pain she felt.

"I love you too 'Kura. I am sure you'll do great things."

"But I failed. I didn't protect you," Bakura said as he stroked her white hair comfortingly. His arms around her tightened slightly: he could feel her slipping from him.

"Don't worry Bakura you…always…protected…me." Amane in her smallest voice yet.

"But-"

Amane gave one last smile to her dear nii-sama that read 'always-the-whiner'. "Kick his ass." She said quietly before her eyes started to glaze over. Bakura gripped harder, but it was no use.

"Don't leave me alone," Bakura whispered, pleading to Ra for a miracle to happen. He got none.

"You're...never…alone." She whispered her final words before she gave one last shuddering breath, and her body became still.

Bakura howled with pain and sorrow as he held her body.

"Awww, how touching." The Captain said mockingly as he got up. He had been watching the two siblings the entire time.

The flickering flame of hate ignited. Bakura felt hatred overwhelm his sorrow as he got up, his eyes wild.

He was the one who had done it.

He had killed his father.

He had killed his mother.

He had killed his sister.

And he would pay.

"DIE!" Bakura snarled as he punched the wicked Pharaoh's Captain, hoping to wipe the smirk off his ugly face. He succeeded.

"You little bastard," the Captain growled as he kicked Bakura in the gut. He proceeded to beat Bakura up, wanting to hurt and bruise his victim, before going for the final blow.

"You (kick) know (punch) why (slap) we're (killing) you?"

"Because you're egoistical heartless bastards, who wanted a sacrifices, that's why!" Bakura howled as he gave Captain Himmeltoff a vicious scratch on the cheek.

"Well, I guess that could account for part of it," the Captain said softly (ignoring the name calling) "And I guess some of it would be your parent's fault for marrying outside of their class and ruining the natural order. We couldn't have that. (Bakura growls but doesn't do anything: he's listening) And a huge part would be for the human sacrifices required to make the Millennium Items so the Pharaoh can rule the world…(Bakura growls impatiently)…But one of the main reasons was…you."

Huh? That was unexpected.  
"Me?" Bakura asked softly. Not wanting to believe it.

"Hmmm yes. Akunad- I mean Pharaoh Akunakanon reada prophecy about how a white haired stranger of mixed heritage would challenge the next pharaoh for his throne. His mixed heritage would be both his blessing and his curse. He would be vicious, ruthless and carry of cloak of blood to show all the victims he'd killed. He would control a monster that was more powerful than the Gods, filled with his hatred. He would be born on the bloody moon on the year where Egypt will be in most peril. He would the Thief King. And his destiny would be his to change." the Captain lazily recited.

"It couldn't-" Bakura started out. Because it hardly made sense. Mixed heritage…he _did_ have a feeling mother wasn't poor…but he wasn't born on the bloody moon…and he certainly wasn't carrying a cloak dyed red for the victims he'd killed…he didn't have a Ka or anything… "This is nonsense,"

"Is it? We'll see." And with that he flung a dagger at a surprised Bakura's heart. Bakura expected to feel a heart-bursting, pain searing sensation and then blessed oblivion…but he felt nothing. This was odd. Bakura opened his shut eyes and his jaw dropped at the sight before him. It was a monster alright. But definitely an odd one. Half black, half white, as if still deciding whether it should be good or evil, it stood before Bakura protecting him. It was almost like a human except horns grew out in a triangle pattern on his head. And those little white wings didn't fit on a beast so strong. By strong Bakura meant the huge well-toned gray chest that graced the creature. The dagger had landed at his foot, and it turned around and handed it to Bakura.

"Um…thank you?" Bakura said hesitantly. The creature nodded and for a moment its gray eyes flashed a familiar blue.It then gave a weary sigh and disappeared as ifit had never been here. "I guess I have a Ka," Bakura said softly stating the obvious.

The Captain looked at Bakura stunned: could the baka boy not FEEL the immense power from his huge beast Ka? Apparently he was too stupid. Ah well: now, he definitely needed to be killed. Good thing I always have a back-up blade.

Quick as a flash, the Captain ran up to Bakura aiming at his heart, but Bakura ducked and it sliced across his left cheek. Bakura screamed in pain: it was a deep gash and would surely leave a scar. Wonderful.

Bakura was so tired…from pain…from sorrow…maybe he should just let the evil Captain end it.

_'Never_!Screamed the hundreds and hundreds of voices of Kuru Erunians suddenly in his head. And suddenly, Bakura felt energized. Energized and angry.

He roared and with a spurt of unexpected power he thrust the Captain's blade into his stomach for a fatal blow. The shock and surprise that registered on his face was priceless.

The blade that had killed his family had now killed its master. Bakura curled his lip and gave a pitiless smirk.

"How does dying feel Captain?" Bakura said as he twirled the blade. The sane part of his mind was screaming at him to know what in Ra's name he was doing, but Bakura had locked up his sanity far too well that night. Or perhaps for forever. He honestly hardly cared anymore.

"You'll feel it too you bastard boy. The prophecy is already coming true. (With an evil smirk of knowing what he was about to do) It was the Pharaoh who did this you know…" the evil Captain Gentu Himmeltoff said softly, knowing full well Bakura would buy his lie and cause a heck of a lot of trouble. Indeed, Bakura's glare intensified at the thought of the Pharaoh living in luxury while sending so many people to their death for the pleasure of his 'Millennium Items'

"Shut up," a cold Bakura growled. Even dying this stupid man was still causing Bakura to think painful thoughts. Perhaps the Captain should have listened and shut up here, but when you're dying tact becomes a meaningless concept.

"…(pant) How does it feel to no you have nowhere to run boy, nowhere to go?" he said as his life was coming to a rapid end. He started to laugh in his final moments, looking at the sorry boy's pitiful expression as his words hit home.

But this was the last straw.

Bakura's dark eyes hardened and he thrust the blade into the chuckling evil man's heart. The laugh instantly stopped but Bakura could swear that the smirking Captain had whispered, "That's what I thought," before slipping into the afterlife. Bakura growled and in a bloodlust he couldn't control he began to stab thelifeless bodyrepeatedly. But secretly Bakura didn't want to control this awful rage: he liked it. He wanted to see the body mangled, ruined. Maybe then it would make up for some of the twisting, overwhelming pain he felt. However, with each stab he felt his anger only increased because although he'd rather go to hell and apologize to the Captain…

He knew it was true: he did have nowhere to go.

"I'll kill that bastard Pharaoh Akunakanon, and I'll take each and every one of his damn Millennium Items…Thief king, ha! I'll make it true!" Bakura muttered angrily trying to deny the tears that were trying to trickle down his cheeks. A part of his mind was wailing 'What have I done? I just killed someone!'. His sanity. Too bad Evil had already made its way into his heart. The tears were gone. He called to his only companion at the moment, the beast/thing that he could feel growing with hate each moment. He felt grateful to the only thing that was still there for him… "My beast, I'll call you Diabound…and we will be the most feared, powerful pair in Egypt, I'll guarantee it." And although he had zilch experience,you could bet that with hisdetermination that this would come to be. Really, what else did he have to lose? He was already dead.

That flicker of hate had turned into a brush fire. And everyone knew that once a fire got started it was nearly impossible to destroy. But Bakura no longer cared about putting it out. He welcomed it. He welcomed the cruel shield around his heart: it would hide his pain. Had Bakura bothered to look up at the sky he'd see that of the two stars that were earlier there that night…one of them was gone. And as for the other? Its bright, pure light was overshadowed by the blood red moon.

Bakura walked towards Thebes, twirling his new dagger: a new wicked smirk replaced his innocent, carefree smile. Those days were gone forever.

A Thief King was born.

* * *

O.M.G. I finished this chapter! YAY! This has to be one of the hardest chapters I've ever written due to how I know zilch on Bakura's past. I'm sorry if the last half of the story didn't flow all that well, or if you didn't like it, but honestly, I tried my best. (Also sorry if i misused or mispelled the Japanese terms. I would be very grateful if any reader could tell me more of them!)  
Fun fact: in his past life Bakura's name was Toukoto Ou (erm I think that's spelled right. PLEASE FORGIVE me if I'm wrong. I have a short memory span)  
Anyways the next chapter will have Bakura's and Nina's reaction to this tale, but I decided that I'm going to put in some comic relief in there as well. (After such a sad tale of Bakura's past I think it'll take a lot of it to lighten the mood) 

Which is why the next chapter is called: The Enlightening Effects of Truth Spells. The title says all.

Um, I'd like to add that this chapter was FRIGGIN 19 PAGES LONG! I tried my hardest to make it the best it could be (this was supposed to be updated on Friday) and I would sincerely appreciate it if **EVERY reader could review!**Happy Valentines Day! (though this is an ironic present, no?)

-Starlet36


	8. The Enlightening Effects of a Truth Spel...

I'm slightly disappointed with the reviewing turnout last chapter, butah well,I don't want to sound greedy. So, THANK YOU REVIEWERS!  
Inthis chapter we'll meet our villains…and learn some things about the characters that one should NEVER hear…fun.

Disclaimer: Do not own Yu-Gi-Oh, or any of the shows, movies, or possible book quotesmentioned!  
Enjoy. (As to why I put quotes in each chapter...meh I just like them. Anyways, I think the wuote was cute. :D)

* * *

"The difference between 'friends' and true friends? A friend is the one who tries to bail you out of jail. A TRUE friend is the one who's in the cell next to you." –Anonymous

For a moment there was silence as the bloody images of Egypt faded. Nina expected Bakura to punch something, or do something intense to lash out his feelings. But Nina never expected this. What came out from Bakura was worse.  
Bakura threw back his head and gave a long, maniacal laugh. But the tear streaks on his pale cheeks and the false note that rang in his hollow laugh, betrayed his true feelings. Brokenly, he laughed, but he just couldn't stop. Nina's heart wrenched at the sound; she just wanted to put her hands over her ears and block it all out.

"Bakura, stop," Nina whispered worriedly for Bakura. She now understood, and as much as she wished she could forget his past, his memories were now intertwined with her own. "I understand it must be hard for you bu-" she started out. Bakura's laugh instantly died in his throat as soon as he heard his hikari's words. His amber, chocolate eyes flashed dangerously. This was the look Bakura had had before he murdered the evil Captain. Nina trembled as they bore into her, but she held her ground.  
"Understand!" came the chilling whisper that sent shivers down her spine. He grasped her forearm, and Nina knew it was useless to fight, but that didn't stop her from trying. "You never saw the friends you grew up with _murdered_! (the grip became harder) You never saw your parents dying for you, never felt the guiltiness of knowing _you_ were the reason they sacrificed themselves! (Nina gasped in pain as Bakura's grip cut off her circulation) You never had to watch your little sister die and you could do _nothing_ to save her! YOU STUPID LITTLE GIRL, YOU UNDERSTAND _NOTHING_!" he roared in a rage as he finally hurled the girl across the room. Nina hit the wall with a painful thump. She landed on the carpet in a crumpled heap, tears slipping down her cheeks. "Oh, but I do Bakura," she murmured softly more to herself than Bakura.  
Bakura didn't know what did it, but he suddenly realized that Nina's eyes had the same haunted look of his own. Somewhere inside of him (deep, deep, extremely deep down mind you) he felt a twinge of what could only be…guilt? Sympathy? Pity?…Ridiculous.  
How was it that nothing, not friends, not power, nor murders had been able to stop Bakura once he was in a fiery rage…yet one look at this piteous girl's helpless, pale azure eyes and it instantly melted? How could she be the only soul he had ever been able to tell his story to!  
Bakura concluded that she was secretly a mage who had cast a spell on him.  
"Get up brat," he said in a voice as close to nice as he would ever get. Nina wiped her red-rimmed eyes hurriedly as she tried to get up but her knees buckled underneath her. Nina closed her eyes, ready for her already-sore knees to take the impact, and…nothing happened. Huh?  
She opened her eyes and nearly gasped in surprise as she saw the sight before her. Bakura held her against his chest as he carried her over to her bed. "Stupid weakling, can't even walk can you," Bakura muttered angrily but he didn't hurt her.  
Nina felt that now was not the time to mention that Bakura could've just left her to suffer…  
((Well, if you want to be on the ground so badly)) Bakura said in their mind link as he heard her thoughts.  
He dropped her on the ground, and she hit the floor with a gasp of pain.  
(((Bakura I didn't mean it like that!)))

She could hear the ominous click of the door shutting to Bakura's mind as he cut off their mind link. She could distinctly hear his last muttered words being 'ungrateful little brat…She's just a brat, just a brat' She just didn't hear the desperate note in Bakura's voice.

This sucked. 'Why does he have be so darn bipolar!' Nina thought as she hobbled painfully up to her bed. Why can't I figure him out! In a bitter rage as her whole body throbbed she thought, 'I hate him, I hate him and his damn mysterious ways!'  
However, an unfamiliar little voice in her head that sounded too much like her conscience whispered to her: _But that's not true…you could never hate him, he's just like you…  
_Hmph, that's not true we're totally different, Nina thought, lying, as she glanced at her purplish bruised forearm that now had Bakura's fingerprints and nail marks marked on it.  
She gazed up at the ceiling from her bed as she wearily started to doze off. Before she completely dozed off into LaLaLand where there where no evil Bakuras and no evil pasts…  
'I asked for a guardian angel, and got sent a demon…' she thought ruefully.  
_Ah, angels are nice…but bad-ass demons are just so much sexier. _  
And this time in her dreamy truthful state, Nina had to agree.

"Sexy, huh?" Bakura said in his husky voice, a smug smirk graced his face as he appeared. Nina was deep in her LaLaLand and merely murmured 'Mmmmm…Oh Bakura, you hot, sexy thing you, come over and-' Whatever Nina had been about to say in her sleep was muffled with a loud snore. Perhaps that was for the best. Bakura gave a pout as he thought 'This is going to be sooo funny when she realizes I heard every word!'  
As he felt a smile creep up his mouth while he thought of how Nina truly thought of him, Bakura shook his head. He needed to reassure himself: this was all just for just his hikari's humiliation…right? Somehow, he wasn't so sure.  
He then noticed the bruised wrist. No, a bruise would be a little purplish mark on one's skin that was bound to go away after an annoying week. This dark purple massive swelling on her stark white arm that was adorned with claw marks like she had a run-in with a wolf…was no bruise.  
A confused Bakura ran a hand through his silky white locks pensively. He could handle murdering soldiers, guards, and Pharaoh's Captains without feeling a trace of guilt, yet he couldn't help but feel guilty at a little bruise of his weakling of a hikari! Ra, he was going soft radamnit!  
Well, he was NOT going to heal it. Let her suffer: it's what she wanted. But then he saw Nina wince as she tried to move her slightly bloodied arm. Her dream seemed different now, "Daddy…stop, please! Help me, someone please help me!" she murmured to herself as she tossed and turned in her sleep. His dark, intimidating eyes softened.

"What happened in _your_ past, Nina?" Bakura mused quietly to himself. He then noticed that damn bruise-that-was-not-a-bruise again.  
It was the innocence, that innocence that reminded him so much of Amane, and that foolish frank candor she had…that made Bakura tear off a piece of his majestic, silklike trouser that had made for kings…to be tightened on his little, worthless hikari to stop the bleeding and be spelled to shrink the wee bruise.  
Bakura pushed back the annoying black locks from her face and gave a small, satisfied smile. That instantly disappeared.

"What are you doing to me?" he whispered to his sleeping now-peacefully hikari girl as he pounded a fist on her desk. "One second I want to wring your pretty little neck and the next- I'm think thoughts like that! Radamnit, stop your spell already!" The tomb robber glared at the sweet smile on her face. Why couldn't he hurt her? It was Amane and the spell, that was it.  
_You have control over your destiny...maybe you secretly **do** want to help her.  
_Preposterous. The green-eyed cat called Elf, wrinkled its nose in frustration: he knew it'd be hard to get anything through Bakura's thick head, but this was harder than he thought. Bakura noticed that the voice seemed to be coming in Elf's direction, but that was impossible: cats can't talk.  
_I beg to differ Bakura.  
_Bakura didn't know how he could see it, but somehow he knew that arrogant little cat was smirking at him. _  
Back to business, as Nina's Ka-  
_Last time I checked Kas were supposed to be duel monsters, Bakura thought condescendingly at the wimpy gray cat. Elf's eyes hardened and he hissed._  
Times have changed _former_ tomb robber! As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted: stop making excuses Bakura! It's not only her spell, you like her because she's honest with you. She's the only person who's heard your story, and understood it…  
_'She didn't understand it, no one could!' But then Bakura remembered that haunted look in her eyes…  
Ah, to hell with it! He wanted to leave this accursed girl!  
_But she's got her spell on you, her spell of loooooovvvvveeee! Don't lie, you liiiiikkkkeeeee her Bakura, _were the last words of a smug Elf before he curled up next to Nina protectively on her pillow.  
"Cats are truly the spawn of Satan," Bakura murmured loudly enough for the dratted cat to hear. Elf lazily raised his head up in a bored fashion: _Spawn of Satan, tch, in your dreams. I'm just a goody goody kitty sent from above to help my owner._  
Somehow Bakura could hear the sarcasm dripping in Elf's dry voice. "Well, some job you were doing," Bakura said quietly. For the first time he saw Elf's arrogant expression have a weary sadness to them.  
_I am only as powerful as she is…I would be much stronger if it weren't for her-Ah it's not my place to say. Goodnight Bakura. _And that ended the discussion just when it was getting interesting._  
_Bakura left for his soul room very irked and confused. As he lay on his bed looking at his ceiling, broodingly…  
_Oh I almost forgot:_ _thank you, Bakura.  
_For what, came the irked reply.  
_For making me stronger. _  
Hmph, Bakura thought, that wasn't much to be thankful for. But spell or no spell, if Nina wondered how she got the odd bandage on her arm…

Bakura would deny it to hell.  
_Meh, it's a start. _

**Currently in Sector 12, Level 10 damned souls; Hell.**

Walking along the path to hell, the road of good intentions, two figures silently padded their way up to the barred entrance. Due to the utter darkness, the only source of light came from the molten lava casting a grotesque, bloody glow over the realm. Hell was never meant to be pretty; it was made as a punishment. The two figures were both silhouetted in the darkness, yet you could make out the slender, delicate face of one, and the gruff, dirty face of the other. To say that they were friends would be a laughable thought; both persons detested the other beyond mere mortal imagination. But as many of the damned say: once in Hell, such trivial things such as friends and hostility towards your fellow damned are abolished immediately.

"We were lucky," muttered the gruff male in what we can loosely name as 'companion' to the female for lack of a better term. He kicked up the black dirt as he glanced back at the Sector 12, the holding place for all Level 10 souls, and where the two had just escaped from thanks to a certain tomb robber.

"Thank you Mr. Obvious," sarcastically murmured the voice of the female with hair just brushing her shoulders. One can suspect from her sweet, practiced musical voice that she would have as beautiful a body as her voice until you heard the underlying tones of it. Those tones spoke of cruelty, sarcasm, and above all a lust. Whether it was a lust in the sensual meaning or a lust for an unspeakable revenge one cannot be sure. One would rather not know.

"Stupid girl, shut up; out of all the millions that attempted to escape, we are the only ones that have made it this far. I am simply informing her Almighty Royal Bitchiness that we are almost near Cerberus. How do you intend to escape this!" growled the male. The female merely wrinkled her nose in distaste but she did spare her 'home' a glance. A door almost unhinged with the words clearly read "Sector 12" with blood? lava? coloring the black dirt a maroon color in the eerie light. Decorating the Sector were mangled bodies that were not quite whole but nonetheless functional. It would be too kind to let them just die. Again. All mutilated level 10 souls were working on the hardest tasks and you could hear their groans, screams, as well as the occasional song of the hissing whip in the background. What a lovely melody, the female thought grimly. She did not miss Sector 12. She was glad to have escaped. To be sure the tomb robber Bakura hadn't wanted their escape…but that's a different story altogether. And it was all a certain Pharaoh's fault that she was here in this disgusting place.

"First of all don't call me that ugly name it's beneath me. I am more valuable in my little pinky than you are in your entire body, you bastard," she said with prim air of one used to dealing with slow, stupid commoners.

"Find then my dear little _whore_, what do you intend to do to get us past Cerberus with your almighty wit and body," the man said and though he insulted her, he spared her nice chest an ogling in the same moment. Let's just put it simply that as punishment the males were very attuned with their lusty wants, but were barred from ever getting, ahem, action from their female damned. Men, the female Level 10 soul thought with a groan, cannot be changed. Only an intelligent, experienced woman could have seen the obvious that had been standing right under the Hell's men's noses.

"Men are all the same." She retorted simply as she rehearsed the transfiguring spell in her mind. Prissy delicate thing she was, but that didn't mean her dark magic skills weren't a local legend in Hell.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" asked the male, tired of walking on uncomfortable hot ground with no prospect of a future.

"It means you dope that I know how to get us out of here." Said the woman and then seeing the man's lack of faith she continued, "Cerberus is a male. A male who is all alone in his species without a mate…The key word here is NO MATE. Cerberus has been existing for I dunno, a couple thousand millennias, and that means a lot of sexual suppression for the dog if you get my drift. I'm just making him a girlfriend." By the eager dangerous gleam in her companion's eyes, he got her drift. And that was one distraction Hades hadn't been counting on anyone discovering or using against his dog.

"So I get phase 1: magically make Cerberus a girlfriend that will distract him. But once we get down to Earth…(suddenly his voice takes a vehement, wild, angry tone) I say we destroy _them_ and make them feel every fiber of pain. I especially want to hear the girl scream." said the man in a bloodlust.

"And so you will, but we must not act rash. We were the only two to truly escape because we were the only 'team' to not become blinded by our rage and fear to escape." The cold woman said in a placating voice. "First we will need to get blackmail information from our beloved foes. In other words their greatest fears and weaknesses."

"And how do you intend to do that?"

"Verdi Seratem." She said but the man looked blankly at her. "Or to put it in simpleton terms, truth serum." Indeed, Verdi Seratem was illegal in all but one part of the universe. Hades' interrogation office. (And if you ever got there, get a knife and try to kill yourself because that is truly where the horror stories of hell come from.) How she stole it, and how she still managed to keep it hidden from Hades were unimportant. But just for the record, it was extremely effective. "And I just added a little babbling spell in there just for the heck if it," she said as her face twisted in the shadow into a cruel smirk.  
Once the man beside her completed his role she'd terminate him with her infamous death curse. She'd make the Pharaoh pay for ruining her perfect life.  
Once the girl finishes doing all the work for me, she'll be disposed of. She doesn't know she's just a pawn in my grand plan. For now I'll play stupid and play along with her amusing little torture games on my foe. I told my foe I'd be back.  
The woman handed the man two filled syringes, and they both shared an evil cackle of villain solidarity. Despite extreme animosity towards one another, as they say in Hell there is only one thing that can bind the damned together for the common goal of evil despite all their vast differences: revenge.

* * *

"YAY! IT'S THE LAST DAY OF EXAMS!" Carla yelled with glee having just come out of her final exam: honors algebra. She was pretty sure she did well and she punched the air in joy. Nina, the shy friend, was trying her best to calm her new friend down. (Her dad agreed!) She blushed when people distinctly edged out of their way, but Carla took no heed. She raised an eyebrow at Nina's shyness and thought privately to herself, 'She really needs to loosen up. She is practically screaming geeky schoolgirl with that blush and subconscious hunch of the shoulders to make herself smaller. Not to worry, Carla was an expert at being outgoing.'

"Ding dong the witch is dead! The wicked witch, the wicked witch! Ding dong the wicked witch of al-ge-braaa is deeeeaaaaaddddd!" she sang merrily out-of-tune. Nina winced; Carla was a horrible singer. (Yami: (fingers already plugged in ears as soon as he heard Carla's mouth open) LALALALALA I CAN'T HEAR YOUUUU) She gave Carla a weak thumbs-up sign and they entered the art room once more, Carla's and Nina's homeroom, for a study hall to pass the rest of the time at school. Before they were about to enter, Carla felt a sharp jab in her arm. She gasped in surprise and pain as she clutched her arm. It felt like someone just stuck a sharp needle in it. Yami immediately appeared in spirit form beside her fretting.

/Are you alright/

Fine, Carla reassured her anxious Yami. Just felt something weird is all.

(dubious) /Hmmm…if you say so/

Nina soon thereafter felt the equivalent to a dagger stab near her heart. She bit back a scream while Bakura looked at her interestedly.

((What was it?))

(((I don't know. It hurt horribly…like someone just tried to kill me with a sharp needle…agh, holy fudge, does it hurt like mad!))) Nina took a few deep breaths to calm herself as she half-expected blood to be staining the shirt area over her heart. But none did luckily. Bakura merely gave her a "helpful" shove upwards so she'd be standing. Mrs. Marcuri looked at her worriedly but she waved it off to show she was okay and sat near Carla who was experiencing a lesser degree of the same effects (hey, she didn't get it near her heart!). As she passed, a certain cruel Angelica with her calculating icy blue eyes leaned in to her and whispered nastily, "FUR-REAK,"

And then she put out her pedicured foot in front of her.

A normal girl would have fallen flat on her face. A hikari girl with tomb robber Bakura as her Yami merely skipped over it like it was nothing. With a toss of spiky multi-colored hair, Nina sat at her seat with a smug smile. "BI-OTCH," Bakura/Nina whispered before relinquishing control to Nina.

(((Thanks for helping me Bakura.)))  
((Pfff, who said I was helping _you_? Stuck-ups just annoy me.))

Nina knew better than to press the issue but she couldn't help but feel Bakura could be a real softie at heart.

TT ((I heard that…))

(((Meep! I said nothing, I said nothing!)))

((Good.))

Both hikari girls merely dismissed the odd moment as one of those weird things that you were never supposed to actually understand. But, oh how they'd regret their decision. Some people idly chatted quietly while most looked at the bell, waiting for their moment of salvation to finally come at last: two weeks of spring break. (a/n: this is true in Florida)

That is what the two young hikaris were doing until both started to feel an odd tingling sensation go through them. It was Carla, the first one hit by the odd invisible jab, who felt its effects first.

A tingly sensation went from her brain to her throat that was both freeing and scary at the same time. The barrier between mind and mouth that has kept humanity sane for centuries was now gone. Carla was now going to speak her mind…Literally. Whether she liked it or not.

First victim: Mrs. Marcuri.

"OMG, can you be any less obvious, teach?" Carla said in a too-loud voice. Everyone, who had nothing better to do, watched with eager eyes as the train wreck began. Only Nina and Yami looked at her worriedly. They could see by her confused eyes that something wasn't right.

"_Excuse_ me Miss Sanchez?" Mrs. Marcuri said in a dangerous voice that clearly read 'you did NOT just call me teach'

"Oh don't play, you're not deaf. But you surely must've not been listening to your fashion consultant to wear that tacky outfit. And that wig, come on, act your age!" Carla said before turning red as a tomato. She couldn't control what she said, and all of what she was saying was true. The students were definitely interested now. Mrs. Marcuri, the art teacher, was a very good art teacher, but her taste in fashion? Hell no.

/Hikari, stop it/

I can't Yami, I can't! a scared Carla screamed mentally to her Yami.

Nina by this point was feeling Verdi Seratem's effects as well.

"Wig, more like beehive! And my God Mrs. Marcuri we all have our problems, but there's no sense in denying that you have few a chin hairs!" Nina said before clapping her hands over her mouth in shame.

Half of Class: 10 bucks Mrs. Marcuri gets them suspended  
Other half: Deal.

"Chin hairs, come on don't be so nice Nina! It's a full beard I tell you!" Carla said unwillingly.

"Carla and Nina be quiet, you're being so mean to _poor_ Mrs. Marcuri," Angelica said in a falsely concerned voice to suck-up to Mrs. Marcuri.

"Oh shut it Barbie." A no-longer shy Nina snarled. Angelica's lips pursed as her eyes glared daggers at Nina. "Did the cat get your tongue, slut? Or is the botox still in effect?" Nina continued nastily while trying to shut herself up to no avail. Carla looked at Nina admiringly, "And here I just thought you were a mousy goody two shoes…OMG, Nina I'm so sorry!" Carla said apologetically at her actions.  
"No apology necessary. I think you're singing is awful. My mind is still reeling from your last little 'performance'...SORRY!"

Carla nodded in understanding but moved her attention to a steaming art teacher. "Mrs. Marcuri, I-"

The bell rang but no one moved.

"Class dismissed. Ms. Sanchez and Ms. Sky, stay after school." Said the cold Mrs. Marcuri (as she used a hand to cover up her exposed chin)

Oooooooooooh they were in TROUBBBBBLLLLEE.

The students left laughing, thinking that this was an entertaining way to end exams while Carla and Nina stood their with fists stuck up their mouths.

(((I'm just glad they left. I was about to mention _you_, Bakura.)))

((Can't you be quiet!))

(((Do you think I'd have a fist stuck in my mouth otherwise!)))

((Hmmm, good point. This reminds me of something)) Bakura knew these symptoms were familiar for something, and it would just take a little brain work to remember…but, hey, this was pretty entertaining.

"I hate you Bakura," Nina mumbled around her fist to earn strange looks from both other women. Nina wished more than ever that she could lie. Mrs. Marcuri gave her an icy look that could be read as 'lunatic' or 'potential expellee'. Your choice.

"Girls, I am very disappointed in you. Carla, I always thought you were such a good girl, and Nina just barely got here and you're already off to a bad start as a troublemaker. Shame on both of you." Mrs. Marcuri. Both hikari girls looked very sorry for their actions but both of them dare not speak it aloud. Too bad they had no choice.

"We're sorry Mrs.Marcuri-" Nina started out.

"But it's true what we said-" Carla proceeded to bite her tongue and blush harder under her tan.

"No offense but shaving doesn't hurt, and neon red wigs are way out." Nina continued.

This was not helping their situation. Mrs. Marcuri started to tremble in her anger.

"_Never_ have I seen such a rude behavior from my students in all my twenty years of teaching-" she hissed.

"Well, there's your problem right there: you've been teaching too long. It's addled your brain." said a shame-faced Carla as her mouth took advantage of its newfound power.

"I was going to let you two off on a warning, but now I've decided to reconsider. Both of you will be assigned projects over the break-"

"WHAT? BUT-"

"But nothing. I expect a collaborated painting done by the both of you. It should be pretty big, and it must be star quality knowing that both of you have such skills. It will be worth 200 pts. I then expect at least a five page report on how you created it, why you chose to make it so, and such. After spring break I expect you to present this to the grade as well as attend Friday detentions with me after school for the next month thereafter. Happy? No, well, too bad…I hope you have a _lovely_ spring break!" said Mrs. Marcuri as she shoved a medium-large canvas in their faces before storming off to the teacher's lounge. But not before her wig fell off.

"Well, she looked pissed." Nina said bluntly after a few moments.

"No kidding. Let's get out of here before we say anything else. Ugh, I don't know what just happened but no we actually have _homework_! Ugh."

"Double ugh. But did you see how she looked wig-less. Now that's a scarring sight!" Nina said before blushing once more as she giggled. Carla giggled guiltily as well.

"I think it's clear that we get you both home before you say anything else," Yami said firmly as he appeared in casual modern day wear.

"It was amusing though," Bakura said.

"Oh Bakura, just listen to the hot-chest man!" Nina said before groaning at her words. Carla raised an eyebrow in a superior look that clearly read 'at least I can somewhat control myself'.

"Bakura can say whatever he wants with those freshly baked muffins as his ass."

Not.

Carla flashed a jealous Yami a blinding grin to placate him as she ran out of the room before he exploded.

Villains: Okay maybe Phase 1 didn't turn out as planned but Phase 2, oh-ho, _this_ was foolproof.

Both Yamis felt an invisible hand hold their butts and then both howled as they felt an injection into it.  
"OWWWWW!"

Yami got an extra slap on the heiny just for him, the lucky pharaoh. Both Yamis were freaked out by the odd supposed bee sting, and didn't want to bother and ponder its effects.

"Okay scratch that, let's take them home NOW. I think this is a spell so let's look in your soul room, pharaoh," Bakura said while trying to discreetly rub his sore bottom.

"Let's go my _muffin man_," Nina said with a grin, not lying. So much for discreetness.

Bakura gave a growl and by this time the four teenagers were outside on the lonely lawn that was the front school grounds.

"Shut it my idiotic hikari girl who looks adorable today in her headband and matching ballet flats."

Everyone: O.O ?

"That did not come out right," Bakura muttered. Well, who knew Bakura had a fashion sense?

"Nope," everyone in the vicinity concurred.

"Meh, just because I watch _Oprah_ and _What Not to Wear_ because there's nothing else to do DOES NOT mean-" Bakura started out. He was interrupted by Yami collapsing on the mound in hysterics. (a/n: authoress currently doing the same while she imagines Bakura watching _Oprah_)

"Oh don't mind him Bakura, he gets teary over 7th Heaven re-runs and was literally bawling in _The Notebook_," Carla said offhandedly with the spell still in effect on all four.

"_Car-la_! You weren't supposed to tell anyone," Yami yelled embarrassed. A thump was heard in the background of Bakura hitting the grass as he rolled around clutching his sides in laughter.

"Well, this is rather interesting. Why don't we all tell our little secrets, no? I'm incredibly insecure, bare feet creep me out, I'm slightly suicidal, I'll do practically anything for a brownie, and when I was five I witnessed my father m-" Nina blurted out before clapping her mouth in horror at what she was about to reveal.

Needless to say, _that_ was enlightening.

And so the secrets that the four teenagers had promised to never in a million years tell a living soul…were being exposed. Gather 'round children for the circle of secrets: tell one, tell all (and in a extremely quick voice like the ones at the ends of commercials) And-you-are-not-liable-for-suing-once-the-secrets-have-been-let-out-…your-reputation-is-NOT-guaranteed. Let's begin shall we?

"Rubber duckies are adorable," Yami said before blushing.

"Rubber duckies? Tch, teddy bears are just so cuuuuuttttte!" Bakura said before mumbling something a lot like 'F-ing spell,'. Not even the spell dared to make the three comment to him.

"Nina's cute…but Carla, your fanny is a masterpiece!" Yami said suddenly as Nina blushed (Bakura frowned) while Carla was caught between looking pleased and slightly annoyed.

"Um, thank you?" Carla said confused (and happy).

Perhaps he would have been saved if he had kept his mouth shut. But he didn't.  
"But I'll give your butt more than just a spanking when you turn seventeen," Yami said with a seductive smirk before turning as red as the tips of his hairs.

Carla, Nina, and Bakura: O.O…We did NOT just hear that.

"Pervert," Carla said shortly. "Perverted yet incredibly sexy!" she continued while hating her traitorous mind.

"Enough about that, doesn't anyone want to hear about my deathly fear of white bunny rabbits?" Bakura said before mumbling more obscenities.

"The mighty wittle Wakura is scared of cute, itty, bitty, bunny wabbits? But why, Wakura why?" Nina said teasingly.

"Age 12. Robbing some noble's tomb. Trap spell. Transformed me into a carrot. Transported me into the magical bunny land that is ACME Inc. You be a carrot for a week and see how _you_ feel about those evil, demented, diabolic fiends from Hell!" Bakura cried becoming hysterical in the last part before curling into the fetal position and sucking his thumb.

"Bakura are you okay?" Nina asked worriedly.

"Shhhh…Bunny. Eviiiiilllll." Bakura whispered to Nina with a haunted look in his eyes. He rocked back and forth in the fetal position while he silently sucked his thumb.

"Any more secrets Bunny muffin man?" Yami said thoroughly enjoying this new side of Bakura.

"Well besides the whole world domination thing and stealing the Millennium Items… there is the one where my family was murdered-" Bakura started before biting his tongue till it bled. The three other teenagers decided to focus their attention on someone else.

"I'm _deathly_ scared of heights, I nearly died from pneumonia at age five, I hae a crazy aunt who gives me presents thatput me in mortal peril,I saw my Yami naked and his butt's awesome…Hmmmmm, oh yeah I had a dream where I kil-" Carla said hating herself, but she absolutely refused to let her last secret out. Her closed her lips so tightly that all that came out was a muffled 'hm hami' whatever that meant.

"So? _I _ran around the palace butt-naked at age four, I ran into a poll in front of the nation at age 14, sad movies get me teary, I can't take a bath without my rubber ducky Albert (Carla: so _that's_ where my old ducky went), and in my realistic dream I cheated on my-" Yami cover his hands with his mouth before he could continue.

"And?" Carla said curiosity instantly peaked at the word 'cheated'.

"mmhhhhhmmm chiiiiihhhhiiid mmm moo mmmhhheeeheee!" Yami said incoherently, lucky for him. All teenagers were preventing speech through various means as they walked down the sidewalk.

So that is how the brownie-loving slightly suicidal goody goody Nina, the Oprah-loving, oddly fashionable, and Bunny-hating Bakura, the height-phobia fiery Carla, and her perverted, rubber-ducky-loving emotional Yami found themselves stuck together for two weeks of uncensored, raw fun. One thing was sure...they'd put the _Real World_ to shame.  
But despite their differences all teenagers thought something along the same lines (in varying words of cursing):

It was going to be a loooooooong spring break.

* * *

Whew! I hope you liked the chapter! Well, I'm a bit disappointed in the blabbering part, but my inspiration is sort of at a low right now.

Which brings me to my point of saying that unless the reviews are numerous for more writing immediately…I'm going to take a break from this story, and rethink the plot line (most of these chapters arewritted fueledon spur-of-the-moment inspiration)

Cookies to all who reviewed and are currently reading this line:D

And as for the villains…heh, take a wild guess as to who they are.

So PLZ R R! Your reviews do make a difference!

Starlet36


	9. Electra Shocka

OMG You're reviews were AWESOME! I was feeling a bit down but as soon as I read all those supporting reviews (**26!** Authoress faints), I was like 'You better keep writing'! So here I am!

I would just like to say to reviewer **Joou** of A Hikari Girl Equals Chaos that although I've decided to accept your criticism as not being a flame as you have said…I don't think that leaves you the right to judge me if you don't KNOW me. I am not an overzealous fangirl; I like other things, play sports, and although I deeply appreciate the art…I am NOT obsessed with it (and really so what if I was?)…I do understand that Yami is not REAL, or else I would probably be in a mental institution…My writing has NOT affected my social and mental health if as proof I have friends (to the point where one friend outside of my school even quaintly dubbed me Tomoyo, worldly friend…but that's besides the point) Even I admit that AHGEC was a bit sketchy, but I'll look back on it years later fondly instead of painfully, and learn from it because every authoress must start somewhere. As for my intelligence, I think my IQ is alright currently (I scraped into Honors, yay!) But if that is what you think then fine, I accept it. I'll keep your review as a reminder to myself to write more realistically, and maybe it wouldn't hurt if you were a tad nicer. Nonetheless, thank you for taking the time to read my story, and if you feel the need to do the same again to this story I am STRONGLY advising you to listen to my suggestions above.

(sigh) That review was disheartening to read during a writers' block, but ah well, I hope I didn't sound bitter.

Moving on now…Every chapter has a purpose (me like a couple chapters ago: they do!) and this one's is to further the plot…dramticness (word?) will come next chapter. Rising actions and interesting twists…this one.

**Important A/N! **Please let it be noted that **Sakina the Fallen Angel**, an awesome poet and songwriter, wrote the song "Electric Scream" that is used (with her permission) in the second-half of this chapter.

Enjoy my "overzealous" fanficiness plz!

* * *

"Mmmf Foomi Mmmm Hah Hooo!" were the first incoherent words out of a raven-haired hikari girl who had her mouth stuffed with toast as she scrambled to zip her luggage which was fit to bursting. A hikari girl who was also very very late. And starting to go slowly insane.

"Nina, calm down! They're just next door!" said an anxious Mr. Sky as he tried to placate his worked up daughter. No use.

"BUH HA MMMMF HAYYYYY!" whined Nina whose bulging cheeks now resembled a chipmunk's.

"But that's no excuse for you to not eat breakfast…_properly_. Swallow Nina, and sit down; I'm sure the Sanchez's can wait." Mr. Sky replied sternly. It was amazing that he could even translate the bizarre language that is food talk. But then again heis a guy.

((You look like a fat chipmunk.))

Why did Nina get the impression that Bakura was enjoying her anxiety? Oh yeah, she could hear his annoying laughter ringing in her mind. Being a hikari sucked.

"Yeah well you look like a freshly baked muffin." Nina retorted to Bakura only to find that she had said her thought aloud. Great, now Adam and her Dad were looking at her like she was psychotic.

"Munchkin, who were you talking to?" Adam asked curiously.

Awkward? Totally.

"Uhhhh…the blueberry muffins?" Nina said as she dug into a muffin over-enthusiastically.

"Sureeeeee," Adam said as he gave his Dad the _look_. His Dad exchanged the look with _his_ look. The look that read 'I told you, you shouldn'tve dropped her on her head…But did you listen? Nooooo.'

Nina rolled her eyes and dearly wished she could force Bakura to appear. But Bakura still was doing that infuriating chuckle. Darn him.

This was NOT a good start but it would get better, right? Stay optimistic, Nina.  
Then the luggage split and her clothes as well as herself lay in disarray on the floor.

Okay, that was bad but the glass was still half full.

And then the coffee spilled. On her clothes.

She could already hear Bakura's taunting laughter echoing in her mind as he rolled around his Soul door clutching his ribs in hysterical laughter.

Screw optimism.

Did she mention that being a hikari sucked?

Little did she know that just a house away, someone else was thinking the same…

Carla Sanchez was having one of those days. You know those days when everything and everyone is negative and pisses you off. Blame it on her personality, blame it on PMS, blame it on post Exam stress, but personally Carla blamed it on a certain Yami and the unexpected arrival of an Aunt. Especially the Aunt.

"Good morning Carla! All packed are we?" said an over-cheery Yami as he woke up refreshed from a nap. Carla bit her lip; stay calm, Carla, stay calm.

"Yes," she said curtly with a clear tone that said 'Buzz off'. Of course, Yami didn't take the hint.

"Hmmm, you forgot your toothbrush though. And your hairbrush. And that pretty skirt (wink). Oh, and those flip flops that you can't live without…" Yami blabbered on oblivious to a slowly boiling Carla.

It's not his fault, it's not his fault that she's here…He doesn't mean to be stupid.

"And your makeup, we wouldn't want to be without that would we?"

(TT) Count sheep, Carla thought to herself furiously as she got her stuffed baby sheep. Yes, sheep are cute, fuzzy, and not at all stupid. She was in control; she could keep her temper in check. One sheep, two sheep-

"And your 'unmentionables'…aka that hot red silk bra I saw you wear on Valentine's Day-"

That was the last straw for Carla. The little stuffed sheep was literally exploding at the seams from her death grip. She had just heard that her dearly…insane Aunt Marie was now going to spend spring break with her beloved _nieta_.

_Nieta_ her a-

This was the Aunt who went on bizarre travels and brought back items that she did NOT want and were hazardous to her, um, LIFE. Examples: the creepy voodoo dolls she swore to God were alive and evil, the "healing" herbal potion from the barbaric, formerly cannibal Amazonians…and the Millennium Puzzle.

Don't get Carla wrong, she loved Yami with all her heart but there were times (see Valentines Bra incident) when she dearly wished he wasn't always constantly with her and no one was allowed to see him…

So it was a boiling red Carla who turned to her victim Yami with murder gleaming in her eyes, "Shut. UP. Yami."

Mistaking her flaming red face for embarrassment Yami continued soothingly, "Don't worry Carla you looked hot in them,"

And then he saw the decapitated fluffy sheep doll. With Carla's twitching hands holding the final seams. O.o.  
Yami felt like that sheep.

"Carla, let's be reasonable. Tell me what's wrong and we'll work it out _together-_"

"_CALLARSE IDIOTO!_ _TU SABES LO QUE HELL ME HA PUESTO POR? _(Shut up, idiot. Do you know what hell you've put me through?) NO! **_SHE'S_** BACK! WITH LA DIABLA! AND SHE'S BRINGING KILLER! AND YOU KNOW WHAT MR. OBVIOUS, SHE'S SUSPICIOUS! NOOOOOOOOOO!" Carla said talking in Spanglish as she became so riled up her emotions clouding her speech. She ended her final words in a despairing wail.

"You don't mean-"

"Yes."

"We're screwed." Yami concluded as he began to make preparations for Eccentric Aunt Protection Spells (EAPS).

"_We're_ screwed! _You_ can disappear! _I_ can't; I have to-"

Suddenly the door burst open, and out came the plump woman herself, Aunt Marietta.

The timing was simply impeccable.

Carla was caught in mid-action. Her face still flushed, her arms raised to strangle Yami. And Yami had vanished but not without making a noisy exit by knocking over the wooden chair.

For a moment there was silence; Aunt Marie eyes switched from a too-cheery, flushed Carla to the chair that had just been knocked over from apparently nothing. She scrutinized Carla's face for a lie. Carla smiled innocently as she crossed her fingers behind her back.

"What were you doing?" she asked as she looked deep into Carla's dark brown eyes for a blink, a hesitation.

"Oh just working out you know…jumping jacks, pushups, sit-ups, the usual…those workouts can really leave you tired!" Carla said with exaggerated enthusiasm as she wiped her brow. Aunt Marie gave her one last suspicious look before saying in her thickly accented, unconvinced voice, "If you say so chica,". In an effort to drag the attention away from herself, Carla gulped down her pride and said in a choked voice, "Where's Killer, and my dear cousin Teresa?" She was afraid to ask. Killer was Aunt Marie's poodle. Poodle, you might laugh, what's so scary about a wee little poodle? Obviously you've never had to feed a territorial one or give it a haircut. Then things got ugly. (Aunt Marie refused to declaw her black evil fluff ball…damn her…)

So PLEASE, Aunt Marie, she begged of her Aunt: say gone to Antarctica!

"Oh, they're right downstairs. They'll be coming on the trip with us with your little friend. Teresa's dying to play with you, and you get to give Killer a haircut!" Aunt Marie squealed with a hinting voice as if the above mentioned were the grand prizes Carla had just won on Jeopardy. And if these were the prizes, Carla felt extremely ripped off.

(sigh) So much for Antarctica. _Playing_? tch, more like torture. If she had to play another round of tea party talking to inanimate objects…then she'd stab herself with that sheep. Granted the death would take a while due to the plushiness, but with creativity she'd do it.

"_Carlita_, why are you staring at that sheep?" Aunt Marie said uncertainly at her niece's unnerving stare.

"Oh nothing _tia_, just thinking what a lovely time I'm going to have with my favorite cousin and my favorite poodle," Carla gushed while mentally pounding her head against her soul door wailing 'Why me!'

"Good. _Vamos_. (Let's get going) And I almost forgot: here's the present I got from Peru for you while we were looking for the Fountain of Youth!"

Carla knew this was going to happen…she was just hoping that the 'present' got lost in customs. Fat chance of that happening. A glowing Aunt handed her a blue stuffed parcel that had been tied with a string of coarse llama hair.

Carla warily opened the blue parcel like an atomic bomb. She half-expected it to explode and the house's fire sirens start to go off.

Code blue, code blue! This is the logic reporting to the brain; DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL!

But the memo came too late; Carla apprehensively peeked inside and saw…

_White powdery glitter dust!_

"Errr thanks Tia…it's pretty dust…" Carla said with a false smile.

"No, not dust, _azuca_!" Azuca? She loved azuca! Azuca meant-

"SUGAR! THANK YOU AUNT MARIE!" said a happy Carla, all insults aside.

"Yes, well it was funny…we looked on the map and in the exact spot where the Fountain of Youth was supposed to be…was this small grove of sugar canes…Funny, no?" said Aunt Marie with a wave of her hand as she majestically went down the stairs.

"Sure whatever Tia...OMG we're two hours late already!" said a distracted Carla as she just threw the rest of her clothes in her blue duffel bag and went downstairs.

/So you forgive me…_querida?_/ Yami used his silky, super sexy voice. That was a low blow right there because both he and Carla knew she couldn't resist it when used it especially when he called her his special Spanish nickname for her: _querida_. The first Spanish word he ever learned that meant dear, and it had shared a special history between the two young lovers. And damnit it made her melt each time no matter how hard she tried to stand firm to her sulk.

But still _Querida_ played hard to get as she made an exaggerated gesture of thinking,  
Hmmmm…

/Please Carla I didn't know she was here! You have to give me the benefit of a doubt/

Oh, okay…But you're still need to learn some tact Yami.  
Yami was almost in the homestretch...

/Tact? I have plenty of it! I mean that bra looked awesome/  
Until he got pegged at home plate. He was so close too...darn stupidity.

Carla rubbed her temples and muttered mentally '_bastardo estupido_…' (a/n: no translation necessary)

**10 minutes later…**

Nina stood with her colossal luggage in front of her as she tried her hardest to stuff it into the back of the Sanchez's Lexus.  
(((Bakura, some help here…))) Nina hinted.

((Sure, look over to your right))

(((Promise you aren't lying?)))

((Cross my heart and hope to die…)) said a sarcastic Bakura.

Ignoring the sarcasm, Nina took it as a yes and turned around to her right…

And ran right into Aunt Marie's large bosom.

((Little fool did I mention I AM ALREADY DEAD!))

Oh yeah. Oops.

"Oh it's youuuu!" cooed Aunt Marie as she wrapped her arms around a flaming red Nina.

"Mmmmf morrie."

"Oh, but you're so thin! Not to worry I'll fatten you up in no time!" continued Aunt Marie as she finally released a gasping (from lack of air) Nina. Aunt Marie pinched Nina's cheeks and pointed to the two figures behind her, "This is my angelic daughterTeresa and her _perro_ Killer. They'll be staying with your little _gatito_! Oh, they'll have such a ball together!"

The 'ball' in question was in fact a growling Killer and a hissing encaged Elf glaring daggers at each other. Meanwhile the supposedly "angelic"Teresa gave Nina a smirk that on any person less cute would've been categorized as the evil sadistic grin of Satan.

"See, she's smiling just for you!" Aunt Marie gushed. Teresa's ESG turned into a heartwarming, adorable smile. Before leaving Aunt Marie patted her daughters head fondly, "Have a fun timeTeresa and Nina!"

Teresa's evil smirk was back as soon as her Mom was out of the proximity. The spawn of Satan said in a very un-angelic, deep, intimidating voice "You. **_WILL_**. PLAY. DOLLS WITH ME. (Nina looks at the bipolar adorable girl with shock; Teresa's black glittering eyes narrowed) Now…we can do this the easy way…or the hard way (ESG grows wider)…You got that Heeha?"

"Ummm…it's Nina." Nina proffered tentatively.

"No, it's Heeha like the mule, right?"Teresa growled looking at Nina as if she were the dumbest thing on Earth. Killer, the black poodle in her arms, bared his teeth at his mistress for back-up. A sweating Nina gulped; was it just her, or were those teeth- no fangs- a LOT sharper than the average poodle? Even Elf gave a meek mew.

"Of course, silly me; my name IS Heeha," said the newly dubbed Heeha. Teresa's face lit up once more into an irresistibly cute smile as the poodle Killer gave one last warning click against his unbelievable canines.

"Oh, Teresa, isn't that your Mom calling?" asked Carla as she rescued Nina out of an entangling situation. She had her red duffel bag across one shoulder though if one looked closely enough you would see that 60 percentof its mass was standing on its own (where a poor Yami was holding it up with a groan).

Teresagave Carla a clear stay-out-of-this glare but Carla returned it with her own.Teresa finally broke away from the staring contest and left with her nose upturned as her pigtails gave a resounding thump against Yami's shin. Yami couldn't stifle a groan of pain as the magical, red, 60 percent, floating duffel teetered dangerously.Teresa eyed the invisible space where Yami was warily before continuing,

"'Gi up then Heeha (Nina winces at the new nickname). As for you cousin Carla…(dramatic Terminatorlike pause)…I'll be back." She then stepped on Yami's shoe. Hard.

It took all of Yami's will power not to give Teresa's tempting pig tails a good yank.

"Good lord I hope not," Nina replied then as an after thought, "No offense Carla but your cousin is a bit…"

"Eccentric? Crazy? The spawn of Satan?"

"Well, I don't mean to be rude but uh, she's no Mother Theresa."

"I know. She is eeeeevvvvilll. Talk to my voodoo dolls and you'll see why I nicknamed her La Diabla."

"Um, Carla dolls can't talk…" Nina said as if Carla were a slow toddler. Carla made a demanding snap to Yami who subtly put Carla's duffel bag into the trunk gratefully. That task done, the impulsive hikari girl then wrapped an arm around Nina comically. "Obviously you know nothing of my Aunt. Poor you." Carla said with exaggerated gestures. Nina laughed it off, not knowing how she would soon be experiencing one of Aunt Marie's gifts…

/Carla what are you going to do with all that sugar that your Aunt gave you/ Yami looked uneasily at the blue packet peeking out of a pocket in Carla's jean satchel.

'Eat it, of course.' Carla looked up at Yami like he was mental.

/The whole huge packet? It's pure Aunt-Marie-delivered sugar, you know./ Yami was growing more nervous by the second.

'Duh. What else would I do, Yami?'

Yami's eyes grew blank as he recollected a memory from long ago…

* * *

**Flashback (when Yugi was Yami's hikari)**

"WHEEE!" yelled a sugar-high Yugi as he swung from the air fan that was ON. Yami looked on in an unabashed fascination as he saw the effects of sugar for the first time (in the exact same fashion in which one looks at a carcrash: you don't want to look, but you just can't help yourself).

"Yugi, didn't your Grandpa hide the sugar packets from you?" Yami asked to the tri-colored blur up above.

"Uh, no-o-o-o-o-o-o!" a cherubic Yugi hollered back in time of each circle the air fan completed. Oh, dear, thought Yami as Yugi gave an Olympic flip off the air fan right into the sink which was full to the brim with water and soap. And started overflowing. Like a tidal wave. With a once-innocent, quiet Yugi riding the wave on his soap bar surfboard. Definitely time to call the humane society. Well, until the wet, starfish boy ran into the wall taking the phone cord with him. Great, now he had a mentally unstable AND sugar high hikari. Ah well, he was hoping it wouldn't come down to this.

"Here, Yugi, yugi! You see this chocolate chip cookie! C'mere and take the cookie!" Yami cooed. Yugi looked at Yami for a moment, losing his deliriously insane smile with a 'You have got to be kidding me. I'm not _that_ stupid' look. Yami suddenly lost his cooing face giving out a wave of flattery and reassurance with a face that looked very peeved. Yugi thought he was kidding, well ha.

Bring it on.

**1 minute later…**

Yami sat on top of a duck-taped Yugi on the carpet as he lazily flicked through an issue of _Duelist Weekly_.

"Mmmmhhhhhhmmmmm…ASTAR! Heh mmmf Hah-hole!" Yugi shouted muffled obscenities through his bounds as he squirmed futilely below the heavy weight of the Pharaoh. Yami flipped to the next page where the latest must-buy cards were shown.

"Now, now Yugi it's only temporary. I'll release you as soon as you calm down from your errr eccentricities." He said calmly.

Yugi spit out the gnawed duck tape long enough to mutter, "Bastard," in response to Yami's calm outlook on the situation. With a deft flick Yami picked up the duck tape once more. He gave a weary sigh: this just showed that sugar could turn even the best of people into monsters who gave unnecessary retorts to their poor victim Yamis.

What he didn't know was that Yugi had already gnawed through the majority of his bonds. And had pink hair dye. And had locked the door.

You do the math.

**End Flashback

* * *

He was going to need some duck tape. Pronto.**

"Soo…who wants to play 'go fish'?" Carla asked breaking the silence as the two visible teen girls in the back of the car (hidden behind all the stuffed luggage) sat as the loaded car made its way to the little town of Orangeville. She had to decided to ignore Yami's blank dazed murmuring of "Duck tape. Need duck tape." in her mind because there were some things in Yami's mind that she just did NOT want to know about.

"I will whoop the pharaoh's ass in this game- it is dangerous, right mortal?" said the newly two-toned spiked Bakura.

"Not exactly…" said a brown-haired Yami with a wolfish grin as he snapped out of his flashback stupor. "If you win, I'll give you full access to a much-needed new wardrobe."

"Do you own leather?"

"Yes." Yami said (with an annoyed Carla in the background).  
And that settled it.

"You're on." A female Bakura said as they began to play the hazardous game of go fish. Mortals beware.

**Two hours later in the remote area known as Orangeville (population 100) on the horseback riding trail…**

The hikaris had finally arrived at Orangeville and were tacked up and ready to go on their two horses. Well except one.

"Um, Carla I know you're experienced but I've never ridden before and horses…uh freak me out…No offense Buttercup." Nina said to a snorting fat yellow dun pony. Carla was already half-way out the door on the feisty black stallion she had rented out, Diablo.

"Oh, not to worry Nina. I've been coming here since I was five. The horses are incredibly sweet and will do just about anything you ask. I even got you the most mellow one in the bunch, Buttercup. If she can gallop it'll be a first I swear," Carla said jokingly. Nina looked over at Diablo nervously. The high-strung thoroughbred flung his head up and down as he stomped the ground in impatience. Not a good picture for a nervous beginner to see to say the least. Nina gulped; the horses suddenly seemed like evil fiend monsters from hell in the dimmed sunlit barn. Buttercup playfully nipped Nina's tank top, but to Nina it seemed like the Devil himself were calling her to his realm of damnation. Double gulp.

((Over-dramatic little wimp.)) said an annoyed Bakura who listened to his interrupting hikari's thoughts.

(((Excuse _me_. I'd like you to try)))

((Fine. I will.))

"What! I meant that sarcastically Bakura!" Nina said completely bewildered by Bakura's odd compliance. Bakura appeared in a black leather trench coat under a white cotton shirt (which had a lace up in the top that showed a nice bit of perfect, smooth chest) with loose blue jeans. Guess who won the game of 'Go Fish'. Sure enough Yami's head appeared behind Carla's on Diablo and he gave Bakura a hateful glare. Bakura smirked back and blew Yami a mocking kiss. (Yami: TT stupid fish)

Nina looked at Bakura's cupped hands at the base of the stirrups in the same way she looked at her algebra teacher: bewildered. Bakura rolled his russet eyes and said in a gruffly slow mocking voice, "You, the stupid hikari. Will use my hands to jump into the saddle. Do. You. Understand? Or. Are. You. Too. Slow?"

"Hmph, I understand completely," Nina said, ticked off by Bakura's condescending attitude. Bakura chuckled softly knowing fully that she had not a clue. Nina chose to ignore it and used one leg to boost herself into the saddle from Bakura's calloused hands.

_Oomf!_ She landed hard; that was expected. But what she didn't expect was a sudden light weight in front of her as she fumbled with the foreign reigns.

"Bakura!" Nina gasped instinctively as she felt a pair of ghostly pale hands firmly secure the reigns from her clumsy ones. Yup, it was him in his pleasantly warm,buff six-packedglory. Nina blushed when she felt his cool white locks tickle her ear as she hesitantly wrapped her arms as lightly as possible around his muscled waist. They were much too close for comfort.

"Yes, brat?" Bakura asked politely as he nudged Buttercup with his newly sneakered feet into a walk. He ignored the shy hands around him.

"Uhhh…why are you here?" Nina said stupefied at having a hot Bakura not only in front of her, but actually helping her.

"Do you know how to trot?" came the brusque voice.

"No, what's a trot?"

"Do you know what's a girth?"

"No."

"Do you know how to post trot and the correct diagonal that comes with either direction"

"No, but, couldn't I at least be in front-"

"And do you know that to canter you use your outside leg to urge the horse?"

"No."

"My point exactly." Bakura said and ended it. He clucked the horse to trot, and as the odd pair caught up to Carla, she hid a snigger with a hand. Yami on the other hand was catcalling the pair until Carla 'accidentally' elbowed him in the stomach.

"But Bakura," Nina continued, still shocked by the astounding turn of events. "I thought you hated me."

"Oh, don't worry wench. I despise your goody goodiness with a passion, but I haven't been outside let alone on a horse in five millennia. Allow me my moment. Other than that I would enjoy seeing you land flat on your butt." Bakura said gruffly as he used his outside leg to canter in front of the pharaoh and his hikari. Somehow, Nina didn't think he was telling the whole truth but meh, who was she to argue? When she felt the rocking canter she immediately gasped in joy and surprise as she accidentally tightened her hold on Bakura's chest. And promptly found herself looking at the whizzing ground. Nina muttered softly at the hands holding her in this position, "Bipolar git."

"Wench."

Buttercup gave a small snort that could be roughly translated into "Stupid hormonal humans." But who are we to know? When Nina squeaked in fear as Bakura spurred the pony to a light gallop, his not sending her earthward as she buried her face into his warm shoulder…might've been a complete accident.

"You know I think those two might actually like each other," Carla commentated from afar on Diablo. Yami snorted.

"_Those two? _Tch, they're complete opposites." Yami said unconvinced. Sweet little Nina with a cold egoistical former tomb robber? Ludicrous.

"And opposites attract Yami." Carla said sagely. She continued on, seeing another snort coming from behind her (hey, she was more experienced), "You know when I was little I used to play a game with my sister. We'd play those stupid good and evil games. The funny thing was I always liked to play the evil villain because I guess that was how my rebellious bad side got to escape. So you see every person has to have a bad side to them; maybe Bakura is just complementing the good Nina…" Yami had already tuned her blabbering out until she heard her say her last words. "And I chose such an over-dramatic, stupid name for my villain self. I used to think it was so cool: Mistress, ha! Sounds like a French maid. Funny, huh?"

But Yami wasn't laughing.

"What'd you call yourself?" he said harshly stopping the horse with an abrupt jerk on the reigns. Carla was mystified by Yami's unexpected reaction.

"I said Mistress. Stupid name I know but no need to stop Diablo-"

"Carla I never want you to call yourself that again. _Do you hear me!_" Yami demanded, his crimson eyes blazing with a fury Carla rarely saw.

"Yes, Yami, but it's just a name." Carla said meekly.

"It's a stupid name!" Yami roared, effectively ruining the mood. Thenightmare prophecycouldn't come true. It would never come true, he chanted to himself as he saw his hikari's hurt expression. It was for her own good, he reassured himself. She would NEVER be Mistress.

It's also a good thing then that he hadn't heard Carla's words before she mentioned the name: "It's silly I know, but I was always fond of my villain half. Evil always felt so liberating…"

A female spirit cackled as she made arrangements. She would make it come true. She whispered very softly into Yami's ear, "Prophecies always come true."

Yami dearly hoped it was the wind.

**The Beach**

Finally there, the overall tension managed to leak away. The glittering blue ocean and the stark white sand calmed the teenagers despite the thunder clouds looming over them threateningly.

_The taste of the wind is changing  
There's a susurration in the air  
I'm chained to the clouds  
I can feel the fire burning through my hair._

Well, until it was time to strip. (a/n: get your minds out of the gutters!)

There was a nervous pause as all of the magically enhanced teenagers looked at each other for guidance as to who would do it first.

It was Carla who spoke up first, "Well, let's get down to our bathing suits and stop gaping at each other like fish!" She hastily tore off her white tank top while Nina followed suit with the only tank top she owned in blue.

For the two hormonal Yamis, it seemed as thought they were listening to "I'm too sexy" as Carla now revealed a bold red bikini with (hootchie mama Yami noted with glee) shorts that showed off curves that Carla always fought to hide. Even Bakura spared her a good glance before moving over to Nina…

Wow.

Bakura's eyes bulged. (As well as Yami's before Carla thwacked him on the head)  
Whatever Nina lacked in curves she made up for in sheer beauty. She looked at Bakura self-consciously in her simple navy blue bikini as she tucked an ebony strand of hair. She was an ethereal princess, too beautiful for this world.

"Is that drool Bakura?" Nina asked curiously as she saw puddles of drool from both Yamis (well Yami's was coming from ogling Carla but that's not the point).

Have you ever had one of those dreams where you're taking a test you haven't studied for?…Well Bakura was having one of those moments. Nina was not supposed to be hot. A good little geek definitely, but not beautiful.

"Ah…errrr…" Focus, Bakura, focus. But all he could see was her pale skin contrasting against the dark bathing suit with those long, slender legs attached…

"Ngh…" he continued incoherently with his eye half-lidded as Nina looked at him while she fought to suppress a smile.

"What are looking at Bakura?" Nina asked slyly although she knew perfectly well what he was staring at. But if he kept looking at her any longer she'd give him a good slap.

Bakura was gazing so hard at her that soon he saw what few have ever gotten the chance to see on Nina Sky. (a/n: HENTAI! NOT THAT!)

A pale white scar ran down from her left shoulder diagonally towards her lower right shoulder. The slash curved dangerously downward into Nina's cleavage before swooping up at the last second from her bikini top to land an inch below her armpit. It looked like it had been there for many years and the gash must have been very deep to last on her skin so long.

So of course Bakura blabbered the first thing on his mind.

"Scar." He squawked intelligently. Nina immediately blushed and this time it had nothing to do with how she felt on her looks.

'Stupid, stupid! You should've remembered and worn a T-shirt or something to cover it!' Nina thought furiously to herself as she muttered an "Oh, it's nothing really," offhandedly.

But a curious Bakura, taking the chance to wipe the drool out of the corner of his mouth, walked over as he squinted his eyes. "Who did it?" he asked simply.

Funny how just three words can leave you blown away. She had expected a snide remark, a smirk, some all-knowing, infuriating 'You're so weak brat that you can't even defend yourself! I told you you were weak.' Anything to reaffirm his arrogance.

Instead she got a simple question with something like concern in Bakura's eyes as he actually tore his perverted eyes away from her legs. Odd.

Of course she was flustered. An alien had abducted Bakura and left her a nice clone. Yes, that was the only explanation. "H-how'd you know?"

Bakura raised his eyebrows condescendingly at Nina, "I'm not stupid brat. I hardly think you decided to hurt yourself as a toddler in a cutter's revenge."

Nina blinked a lot as she fumbled for a lie to tell Bakura. Somehow, Nina never wanted to tell Bakura the real story; Bakura would never understand.

He'd probably even done it himself a few times.

She didn't see resentment flash in Bakura's eyes for the briefest of moments.

"Oh then I guess I was a stupid child then. Ha ha ha. Darn cooking appliances." Nina said jokingly with too much blinking involved. Still, she'd thought Bakura would at least somewhat accept it knowing that he liked to point out her lack of intelligence, or wouldn't care. So as he took off the trench coat and unbuttoned the oxford shirt (much to Nina's secret delight), she thought nothing was up.

But when a quiet Bakura turned around and started walking off, his beautiful, ethereal white spiky hair billowing in the wind as his flapping oxford shirt revealedhis Greek God perfect, well-toned chest.

He paused for a moment and murmured softly, seemingly to the air, "You know, you're a horrible liar."

And left a stunned Nina alone in the sand. Somehow, she'd always secretly felt better than Bakura in the sense of her goodness. But as she heard the resigned, almost hurt note in Bakura's voice, she felt lower than a flea.

Heck, even a flea would've tried harder to hide its thoughts.

_You'd better get indoors,  
Watch out! And beware,  
Run for the hills!  
Too late! You're  
Caught in his storm unaware!_

"Okay, I'll just tie the horses to the boardwalk, untack them, and be back in a second!" said Carla as she started to go.

It was costing a lot of Nina's courage to do what she did next, but she had to follow friend protocol. And friend protocol stated that one did not leave your friend to do something alone with offering to come along. Even if horses freaked you out.

"Carla, can I can come too and help?" Nina asked hesitantly. Carla smiled hugely, touched by Nina's thoughtfulness despite an obvious horse-phobia.

"No, that's alright. I know you and horses aren't exactly buddies. Go, into the water. I'll only take five minutes or so." Carla said, shooing Nina off with a kind yet firm grin.

"But-"

"But nothing. Go. You better hurry though," Carla continued as she looked at the ominous clouds above them rumbling. "Swim before it starts pouring. I'm so sorry I chose such a bad day for us to come see the beach but the weatherman said it would be clear skies. Oh, if you see any lightning you better run out: they are big trouble…" Carla trailed off realizing that Nina was long gone. Oh well, she got the gist: Nina would know that lightning was big trouble.

"Ah, but lightning is the least of your troubles little girl…" whispered a feminine voice in Carla's voice. Carla shivered; God, she didn't know bees could buzz so loudly and humanlike. But her blood drained out of her face as she heard what the "bee" said next, "Little girl I'd be suspicious…Pharaohs hold large harems…" the chilling voice hinted. Carla stood there, trying to remember what exactly a harem was and before it could hit her the "bee" grew impatient, "Yami. LOVES. ME. NOT. YOU. You got that, bitch?"

"Oh,"

And then Carla's face grew stark white despite her tan.

Because one, she finally realized what a harem meant and it didn't mean gold…oh-ho no; it meant wives. **TT.**

Because two, Carla remembered that bees cannot talk nor insult.

And because three, well Carla narrowly avoided being struck by lightning. And a shocked Carla was pretty sure that evil maniac laughter in the background was not a side effect of seeing lightning.

Nor was being able to see your boyfriend being kissed by another woman in the lightning.

_Crackling energy tears through my lies,  
Electric dream, a power scream,  
As ten thousand volts of blue lightning blaze through my eyes  
It's shocking! You're electrified!_

Nina was splashing in the soothing lukewarm water joyfully as she glanced up at the dark sky every now and then. She'd only been to the sea once before and that was when she was 3 so this was a welcome experience. She made yet another motion to Yami and Bakura. Yami was dreaming some pleasurable dream (by the groans…Nina did NOT want to know) while Bakura merely gave her a sullen grunt.

(((C'mon Bakura!)))

((Wench, do I look like the type to splash in water WITH YOU?))

(((You know surprisingly I like brat better than wench)))

((Well, wench seems to suit you.))

Burn.

Nina sighed heavily and returned to lazily floating in the water alone. Soon, she forgot about Bakura or the thunderclouds or anything else for that matter. The water was so comforting and calming that Nina soon closed her and felt her body lulled by the gentle waves. She was so sleepy…that she didn't even feel the raindrop hit her nose.

_Hypnotic lullaby rocks you asleep,_

Ahhh…she could stay here all day.  
But as Nina slipped further and further into dreamland she felt something odd. The gentle waves that lapped over her legs every now and then were starting to land dangerously close to her mouth.

_Sending you to your knife sharp dreams,_

No, "landing" waves would not be the correct phrase. Crashing was more like it. The waves were crashing against her ear, the gentle hum turned in to a raging roar. The furious drum of the waves trying to engulf her sent Nina up, her tiptoes barely brushing the sand bottom. Unfortunately, as Nina had been enjoying her little doze she had drifted way too far from the boys. She could barely even make out land. Wonderful.

_Outside, the tribal drums of the rain beat on,_

"BAKURA! YAMI! CARLA! SOMEONE!" she yelled futilely into the rain. She was now soaking wet as she gave out another yell: (((BAKURA!))). No answer. Nina sighed; she'd just have to swim to land and hope she could make it. She turned around and glanced hopelessly at the sky for a sign sent from above that there might be hope that she'd make it without trouble. She didn't see the towering, tsunami-like wave behind her.

**WHAM.  
**No hope.

_Dancing to Death, and his relentless song._

Bakura had been lying on the warm sand as the rhythmic pounding of the waves soothed his troubled mind. 'Hmph troubled?' he thought, 'The only one troubled is that perverted pharaoh over there.' Stupid hikari who still was so utterly clueless about him (he should be happy about that, right?)…He subconsciously skimmed the ocean for her; it had started to rain, not like he cared about her or anything. Hmmm, no Nina.  
Where WAS that brat?  
(((BAKURA!))) he heard a sharp, desperate scream in his mind. This immediately sprung Bakura to his feet and to the ocean where high tide and a storm were taking its toll on a once-peaceful ocean. Nina! The monstrous waves were hiding her if she was indeed in trouble as her voice revealed. Wait…why would he care! The ignorant fool deserved whatever trouble she was in. But nonetheless in his mind's eye, he saw azure, understanding eyes with tears in them as he hurled her and shattered a spirit…And more recently, a slash across her shoulders marring her as she gave that endearing blush across her cheeks. Hmph. Endearing. Yeah right.  
In the end a confused Bakura decided this: he would see if the brat was okay…and _then_ kill her for making him worry- or as he corrected his blundering mind, wasting his time.  
He used his trained chocolate eyes to search every square inch of ocean to find the brat. His eyes searched quicker as he could feel the agitation emanating from her. As his dark eyes darted left: aha, there she was! So far from the shore that Bakura actually had to squint to see her drenched, pale figure. How the heck did she drift that far away! And not see that the water was getting rough! She seemed to be unaware of his distant presence as he ran into the ocean, his feet tickled by the cool water as Bakura pulled up his jeans to his knees. And then he saw something that made his blood run cold.

"Nina! You FOOL: get out of there! Can't you see that monsoon wave!" he yelled but Nina who still wiping her eyes against the rain to see, was caught unaware of the impending danger. And a second later was struck down, as if later Bakura would recall, Hades's fist of fury had decided to listen to Bakura and finish the girl off in one horrible punch.  
This should've gladden Bakura, right? No more annoying  
Wrong. He felt a sharp pang of worry hit his heart. Because a paralyzed Bakura knew that few could've survived a blow like that. She was like the beautiful greek mythology princess who was chained to the rocks to be sacrificed to the sea monster: beautiful yet doomed.  
Because no one had cared to save her.

_Chain me to the Heavens  
Sacrifice me to the stars,  
Bind me with your lightning  
Before the Sun declares war._

Nina had never experienced the unique feeling of kissing the sand, um, literally. Nor did she ever want to again. For anyone wondering being slammed into the shell-littered sand by an enormous three foot wave of Hell, HURT. But unfortunately for the villains, she was not dead, just merely bruised and battered as her darn ankle felt sprained from a particularly large, sharp seashell. She broke the water's surface gasping, thankful to be alive. Her throat was burning from all the saltwater she had just now swallowed but she nonetheless gasped happily as she saw a sight that a couple days before would've sent her quaking. Now it sent a whoop of joy, "Bakura!"  
Bare-chested and in only his jeans folded at his knees, Bakura yelled back from across the shore "BRAT! What were you thinking!" Ah, insulting your hikari in a yelling voice is a true expression of concern. Well, at least for a disgruntled tomb robber who lacked normal social skills.  
Nina smiled back at Bakura knowing that deep down he was concerned.  
((Am not. Concerned! Tch, swim back and I'll show you some 'concern'))  
Did she mention that right before insults and yells, threats were simply the ultimate form of caring. Really, they should make a Hallmark card on it.  
(((Glad to see you care Bakura))) Nina gave a sweet, infuriating smile at Bakura.  
Which leads us to our fourth item on the list of expressions of true, Hallmark-worthy concern: cursing your drenched hikari girl to hell.

Up in the sky, on top of a thundercloud, (all covered with meatballs…okay jk) two other spirits were also expressing their colorful language regarding Ms. Sky.

"The bitch was supposed to be DEAD," yelled a gruff male voice.

"Yes, well, I had to summon a storm to make it seem natural, and controlling a thunderstorm is harder than you think dumbass." The woman "companion" muttered in reply as she wiped a sweat-soaked brow. The grizzled man snorted as the woman murmured incantations from under her breath as her eyes were glued to her fat spell book of dark arts.

"Amateur." He said in a voice loud enough to be heard. The woman's gloomy eyes that matched the dark sky glared daggers back at the damned male soul.

"Well, if you think you're so good Mr. High-and-Mighty, why don't you do it yourself?" she retorted scathingly. She knew that the inferior bimbo was totally clueless in the mysterious, complex world of magic. Well, so she thought.

"Gimme," he said simply as he grabbed the book of dark arts greedily. It had been so long, too long…It had simply been torture watching this novice sloppily do her work. Now, well, now he had an excuse to do it. He'd been provoked, he'd say, if Hades ever came after him. But he'd most likely be locked up in a convenient black hole if he ever returned to power. No not _if_, the man reminded himself with a wicked grin, _when_.

"Don't even try fool. I highly doubt you can even read the ancient text let alone understand the intricate details-"

"_Silentium_." He interrupted, effectively shutting up the slender, annoyed woman as if she'd been duck taped with one of his favorite spells, the shutting-up spell.  
Too bad she wasn't a completely stupid novice.

"MMmmf You-you dumbass-" She was starting to break the hold of the spell.

"Think of something original, dearie," the man replied absently to the spelled woman as he flicked to his favorite section in the spell book of dark arts: torture.

"MmmmMMh! You want original! YOU JACK-"

"Ah, ah, ah," the man punctuated each 'ah' with a wave of his index finger as he strengthened the spell on the indignant woman. "Just call me gifted, but I've always been fascinated with the dark arts." He said with a wink. Perhaps somewhere deep down, past the large part in the woman's mind where she was the center of the universe and was inconquerable…she knew that there was more than what met the eye to the supposed bimbo. He was handling the book as if he'd read it all before. But that was a very small part of her brain. She had more important things to worry about: like her precious mouth gettting bruised by the spell if he strengthened it.

The man ignoring the obscenities the woman managed to shout as she sat subdued for the moment while trying to break his spell, concentrated on finding the spell he was looking for. Well, more like torture hex, but spell sounded more refined. He flicked past a version of the Iron Maiden, past the frozen spells, past the how-to-ensure-a-bloodcurdling-scream-in-30-seconds-or-less spells, and finally- Ah, there it was: one of his favorite spells. The woman inched over and gave a furtive glance at the spell the gruff man was practically drooling over. And then even she raised her eyebrows in surprise: that was one deadly spell. She had to give the man some respect: he knew how to pick a spell that would cause even the strongest willed to crumble.  
Because this was a spell that no one could avoid. (Hey, her attempt had almost made it, and it had at least _enlightened_ the naïve girl of her hopeless situation)  
And it was 100 effective.  
The girl was as good as dead. No better. No one in recorded history had ever survived it once it made its mark.  
Slowly, despite misgivings about the man before her, an evil grin crept up her lips that would send shivers up even the toughest of souls.  
But it was nothing compared to the man's. His was maniac. His was sadistic. His was not _like_ a demon's- it _was_ a demon's grin of pure, unchecked, Hell-spurred, Grade A evil.  
But not even mere words could describe the intense look in his eyes as he glanced down at one particularly drenched hikari girl. The naive would've described it as eager. The more cynic would have said it as a hateful glare.  
But for the ones who could truly see it for what it was (and it was only the man himself who could)…  
His dark eyes held revenge and an utter hate for the girl in front of him that went beyond the imagination of mortals. The wicked, satisfied laugh that erupted from his throat should be an indication of what the eyes were full of: a long-awaited revenge.  
But for what?  
Ah, this was simple.  
Her death.

"I told you I'd be back," he whispered tauntingly to the raven-haired girl below as he moved his finger over the line that read the horrible spell. It was only two words but nonetheless deadly efficient. His grisly face twisted into a demented, sick smirk as he could hardly wait to hear her final scream sing to him. He pointed a finger at the girl and as he did it Nina Sky's fate was officially sealed.  
She was doomed.

"_Electra Shocka_."

_Thousand needles pierce my skull,  
Drumming with the rain, driving me insane,  
I scream to the sky, parched thirst insatiable  
I gulp precious elixir through my electric pain._

(A/N: You know I strongly considered ending it here, but that would be too evil, wouldn't it? Though it would've made a nice cliffie)

A lot can happen in a moment. You can be kissed in a moment, sent flying in the air, or even in one particular case, swimming to your irritated Yami. Nina paused for a moment to take a rest (it was a LONG swim to shore) as she stood up on the soft sand bar. The water was still up to her waist but it was nonetheless a nice break from the fathomless depth of the ocean where she had no clue of what lay beneath her.

"And why are you stopping, brat!" yelled Bakura from across the sea. Another wave could come sweeping over and beat her down if she wasn't careful. Of course Bakura didn't say that aloud. "You are so stupid! Baka, you're in the water in the middle of a THUNDERSTORM!"

Nina smiled patiently at Bakura's (rather cute) antics of hidden concern as she tucked her slick dripping wet tendrils of hair behind her ear. She was going to be FRIZZY for a week at this rate. She hid a chuckle beneath one pale hand as Bakura began to imitate a bull as he gave long frustrated snorts of disapproval as he stomped the ground at his hikari's ignorance. She knew there was lightning but paddling to shore for TWO FRIGGIN MILES would tire out even the best swimmers. And Nina promised herself that as soon as she got back to land, she'd go on the treadmill no matter what her thighs protested.

She panted heavily for a minute or two before shooing off Bakura's protests with an "Don't worry (pant) I'm hurrying (pant) as fast as I (pant) can! I'll be okay, I promise!" She reassured Bakura with her quirky grin. But it was all in vain. Because Nina was not going to be okay.  
Because in a moment Nina would be dead.  
She should've been worried of what lay above her, not beneath her. Because she never saw the beautiful, deadly golden ray of lightning fork in the air towards her.

And by the time she did, it was too late.

_Head thrown back, a knife in the ribs_

Two words. **_BLOODY. _HELL.**

_Another shock jolts me awake._

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Nina shrieked to the heavens as her eyes started to roll backwards against the pain. It was intolerable; no human can last against a lightning strike. Espescially when you're already a welcome lightning rod with dripping wet mass. It felt like thousands of hot knives were piercing every inch of her body as white hot pain filled every part of her. In that one moment she felt delirious with her eyes clouded with her blood vessels probably popping. In that one moment she welcomed Death. The pitch of her scream had risen to the decibel beyond human ears as her body arched as she clutched her head while she wailed desperately in her mind _'Make it stop Bakura! Do anything: just make it STOP!'_. The pain was so fierce that she couldn't hear Bakura's desperate shouts at her so he could take over, but she blocked him out.

_Like a lightning rod, my body jerks blue  
As a power surge flows through my restraint._

She could see nothing, hear nothing, speak nothing...She was a puppet to lightning's strings. All she could do was raise her weary head painfully in command to a hidden force. In that one moment when she tuned the world out and gazed dazedly up at the sky…she saw a sight that she'd made sure she'd never see again.  
It was probably only in her approaching unconsciousness that she saw him at all. Yes, it was just an illusion smirking down at her as she died.  
Nonetheless, she struggled to curse his name but her voice was too choked, too weak. The one thing she was thankful for was that Death clouded her view of him. At least her last sight would not be his awful, greedy face. Instead she thought she saw a white blurred guardian angel in the distance as her half-lidded eyes started to close. It was a beautiful sight; Nina finally smiled peacefully.

And then the world went black as she sank into blessed, blessed oblivion.

_Eyes closed against the pain, my body arches skyward  
It is unwise to stop and stare,  
Sharp teeth flash for I am the chosen one  
Sometimes Life isn't fair.

* * *

_

I'm such a sucker for dramatics; I love it! I hope you all are satisfied with this EIGHTEEN PAGE CHAPTER! Phew, that was hard to write and I hope it's a success! Poor Nina: how will she make it? Is she even alive? Who was the beautiful angel? (Heck, you probably all know!)

Notes: Meh, I know it sounds weird to bring your cat when you're traveling but Elf plays an important role later on…Also the _querida_ nickname (I think that's a cute sexy nickname!) will have significance soon…  
Oh, and next chapter will be called Seduction (think to what Carla saw and Yami's err dream) so PLEASE if anyone knows any good songs or poems that relate to the chapter (ex: you know like a toxic/impossible-to-stay-away-even-though-I-should sorta thing) LET ME KNOW and I'll dedicate the chapter to you (though I'm not sure you'll want to after you read it…so I'm not sure if that's a fair prize but ah well)!

On a personal note, I just started reading Fruits Basket and I LOVED it even though I wasn't sure if Yuki was a guy or a girl at first (blush)!

Also THANK YOU (in order of who reviewed first): **Asaake, panmotto, ann, firecat1991, Mrs. Bakura, Rose Goddess of the Dead, I'm a maniac, AnimeLoverJ, Everlyn Chan, The Incredible Emo Kid, animekiTie, Maistwin, Dreammistress Jade, LightAngelSara DarkAngelSara, AngelWings10, TheRhythmOfLife, Chibes, EternityCode, soccerchic91588, DON'T HAVE, Ashi, and priestessdwelling82 **FOR FOR YOUR ENCOURAGING/ODD/CUTE/SLIGHTLY THREATENING/WONDERFUL REVIEWS THIS CHAPTER! (AND HOPEFULLY NEXT!) I LOVE YOU ALL:D (hands out imaginary Bakura and Nina and Yami and Carla plushies to slightly freaked out reviewers!)

Your reviews make the chapters come faster!

So I'll end it with this: I'M BA-ACK! Mwahahaha! (lower) MWAHAHAHA! (there.)  
-(wink) **Starlet36** (oh yeah my penname has nothing to do with the show; I WAS HERE FIRST!)


	10. Awaken the Kitten, Awaken Temptation

(sob) I LOVE ALL WHO REVIEWED! AND I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING SOON (stupid Romeo and Juliet test and my 1st horse show…(in one class I got 7th…out of seven, but hey some of my competitors were like 50 and were trainers: not fair!)

O.M.G. I got **_THIRTYTWO_** friggin' reviews for ONE chapter! (dies from review overload) I've never gotten 100 reviews for a story (this story just beat its original by…a lot) I am so HAPPY! THANK YOU! In my appreciation, I've decided to thank each and every reviewer last chapter individually (even though that took me one heck of a long time to do)

Forgive me, if I have to substitute other greek mythology characters for this greek myth. I swear the myth is true, I just don't exactly remember the Princess and her 'Prince's name. (Hey, I was forced to take Latin a year ago, and my memory span is extremely short)

I really hope I didn't make Bakura too sappy, but if it ended up looking that way I'm sorry. I'm a hopeless romanctic.  
Disclaimer: No. Own. Two words!

* * *

'No no no no no!' Bakura chanted to himself in his head furiously at the sight he had just witnessed. Everything seemed to be playing out like a horror movie in slow motion: Nina's scream, Bakura frozen in horror while he tried to take over, the horrible screams echoing in his mind, and finally silence as a limp body crashed into the water. Nina's body.

The only problem was that this wasn't a fictional horror movie. This was real life.

Bakura stood there in utter shocked stupor until an irked voice whispered in his ear, "Are you just going to stand there you stupid thief, or are you going to save her!" Ra's voice. Normally, Bakura would've retorted something foul and brushed the comment off, but this time he found himself answering in a small voice. "I-I can't. M-my feet won't m-move; something's n-n-not letting m-me" Bakura stuttered for the first time in his life as his throat choked up unwillingly like an invisible hand was gripping it.  
His hikari was going to drown.

"So? You have to be her Prince, Bakura," Ra pointed out simply.

"I'm no-" Bakura never got to finish his sentence as a flashback started unwillingly in his mind…

Flashback

* * *

"So then what happened to the Princess as she was chained up, Mother! Did she die! Did the monster eat her!" a young, eager Bakura pleaded to his mother sitting beside his humble bed. 

"Oh calm down Bakura, your mind is so morbid sometimes," Mairi scolded affectionately to her son.

"I get it from you," cheekily replied her son. Mairi fought to hide a proud smirk behind her hand; he reminded her of her younger self.

"Well, then. She died a morbid death, happy? (Bakura looked aghast) I thought not. Well when Princess Andromeda stood in front of the horrible sea monster the sea turned blood red and that's why it's called the Red Sea-"

"I thought you said she didn't die!"

"I did. Have patience, dear. What I meant was that the sea turned bloody from the _monster's_ blood. Prince Mycenae had killed him with one fell swoop from the immortal sword of the Greek Goddess Athena."

"But wait, Mom. I thought you told me in another story where Mycenae killed Medusa that he was a mere peasant?"

"Yes, my little 'Kura I did. The prince even married the princess later on," his mother said gently prodding his button nose, "Where's the problem?"

"But he's POOR. Poor people don't save Princesses, and they certainly can't MARRY them. It's just wrong; he's no Prince" Bakura said what had been drilled into his mind since birth by society. Mairi's face acquired a mysterious smile like she had a special secret.

"Hmmmm, I must disagree. Just because you don't have money doesn't not give you the right to be a Prince. It's what's inside which makes you a Prince." Mairi said gently poking the area over Bakura's heart.

"Do I have it too?" Bakura said, fascinated that this was breaking every code he'd been forced to live by. Mairi smiled at her beautiful, blessed son that was destined to do great things, she was sure of it.

"Of course you do. Everyone has great courage. But the ones who choose to use it, those are the Princes." She took a pause and tilted a still-confused Bakura's head to the stars,

"It doesn't matter if you're a big star or a little star or a white star, or even a purple star…anyone can be a Prince or Princess," she said softly, almost nostalgically into the velvet black sky.

"Even me?" her son asked cutely from his mother's lap. Mairi lovingly kissed his forehead.

"Especially you, my son."

* * *

End flashback 

Somehow Bakura found himself fighting the invisible binds that held him…and winning. Bakura grunted in pain and bit his lip as step by step, he made his way over to the ocean. It hurt, oh Ra, how it hurt! But the stupid fool…_needed_…him.

'Finally!' he heard the irritating voice call in his mind. 'I was beginning to fear I'd lose my bet.'

"But there was a flaw in your flashback," Bakura said while running haphazardly (just picture half your body running while the other half fought), his cocky smirk once more graced his perfect features.

'And what's that Bakura?' Ra asked, knowing that Gods just didn't make mistakes. Excluding the whole dinosaur extinction and the sinking of Atlantis. Those were just some bad little "accidents". Totally excusable.

"I'm no Prince," Bakura said devilishly as he picked up his pace through the water losing the kinks in the rebelling half.

'Then what are you Bakura! A woman? (Bakura: TT) Male Nurse? (B: Okay that crossed the line) An insane thief? I thought we just went over this!'

"I'm no Prince, Ra…(dramatic pause)…I'm a King. And you are a puny God. Powerless to my Kingly Kung Fu…" Bakura murmured haughtily as he started to swim frantically into the ocean. Ra thereafter left grumbling about how stupid arrogant thieves, that he couldn't burn to ashes due to a stupid bet, dared to ruin his morning. Great God, now he was going to miss football. Great God, forbid.

**Back to more important matters that do not include football…**

Bakura was a white torpedo in the water his fluid movements both graceful and powerful as each lean arm and leg showed an utter life-or-death intensity. Bakura was pushing himself to his limits. He didn't even notice that the storm had stopped, its purpose fulfilled.

Bakura lifted his face up to take a gasp of air as he searched, not mindful of the stinging salty water burning his eyes; he was more worried of finding his fish who had gone missing. And indeed it was like finding a little fish in the ocean, a needle in the haystack, that sort of thing; the point being that there was just too much damn ocean. Where could Nina be! Bakura started to despair as his swimming became more labored and careful. Time was running out for both Yami and hikari.

And then he spotted a pale white shimmer in the dark water.

And he knew exactly where his little fish was.

Bakura took a deep breath and dove to the bottom where he'd seen the pale light. Lo and behold, he saw a figure lying in the sand. Bakura immediately swam his way over there…

And felt a rush of alien joy fill him. And then he felt sheer horror let out all the joy.

Nina was absolutely still.

'But,' Bakura reasoned desperately to his flickering hope, 'lightning strikes do that to you…With some fresh air, she'd be back to her cheery annoying self, right?'

Yet the hope nearly died as he got a closer look of his hikari. Her pale skin seemed a fairylike white as her dainty body lay on the sand bed as if resting…if it weren't for the convenient seaweed tying her down. Tendrils of her black hair floated gently above her as her crown while her eyelids remained eerily shut on her mermaid form. Bakura longed for those eyes to magically open and everything to be alright when she said "Oopsies,".

But both her mind and body stayed shut off almost as if she were-

Bakura yanked off the seaweed with his sharp teeth as he kicked off the floor taking the limp girl with him. She would be alright, he assured himself. The brat was too strong to die.

Nonetheless, Bakura broke the surface of the creepily still water and towed Nina to shore as quickly as his straining muscles possibly could. He collapsed on the sand for a moment beside his limp hikari before wearily picking himself up as he dusted off the sand caking both of them.

"Okay, brat, time for you to wake up," Bakura said to her as he gave her shoulders a rough shake. No answer. Bakura frowned as he leaned in closer for a closer clinical inspection. Her lips were tinged blue, her body cold, breathing extremely shallow; these were NOT good signs. (He could just hear Ra faintly saying, 'Well, no kidding Einstein,' Bakura chose to ignore that voice.) The only thing keeping Bakura sane was seeing the erratic, small rise and fall of her chest. And then he saw a sight that madethe great tomb robber, who'd witnessed and caused bloody murders,gasp in fear. A line of blood slowly trickled out of the corner of her bluish mouth and onto her fair skin.

But although that was bad in the fact that it meant internal bleeding, Bakura didn't turn stark white in terror because of that. No, _this_ was much worse.

His skin turned a starker white, and he showed all the signs of a heart attack…because Nina had stopped breathing.

The flickering candle of hope died as cruel reality blew it out.

For what felt the gazillionth time Bakura focused his mediocre healing magics on her…and for the gazillionth time they failed; something was blocking it. Something evil, something familiar…but hell he didn't care if it E.T. coming back home.

Nina was going to die…Well, unless, he did it the old-fashioned way.

This way however, was instilling more apprehension in the tomb robber than he had felt when he had decided to rob Akunakanom's heavily guarded grave.

Some would call it CPR, and others, hoping for a more romantic name, dubbed it the "kiss of life".

Kiss of life? Ra, Bakura would rather kiss a warty toad. Okay maybe not a warty toad, but you got his drift. No way in hell was he going to do this little "kiss of life" on his baka hikari…except that it was Nina's only chance of survival. Damn.

Bakura desperately pumped her stomach as a last ditch effort to avoid the inevitable, but fate was cruel. He merely got more blood trickling down her mouth. Bakura gave a heavy sigh as he looked up at the sky, cursing Gods, CPR, and lightning.

_Attention Earth Population, we are experiencing a first. Bakura –yes that tomb robber Bakura– is about to willingly save (you heard right, not kill) his hikari. And not only save, oh-ho yes that's right my swooning angry fangirl mob, he's going to…_

Bakura tilted open Nina's mouth as he wiped away the blood with a thumb. He paused for the briefest of moments.

So this was what it had come down to. Bakura, the notorious Thief King of Egypt, had degraded himself to giving the "kiss of life" to a mere little K.O.'d girl.

This was rock bottom.

And then Bakura smirked sneakily; there was no way she'd ever know…it'd all be a complete and utter mystery… He awkwardly gathered his hikari into his warm lean arms.

"Just be thankful you're cute," Bakura said gruffly, saying the phrase that he would never say in Nina's normal presence. But in her veggie state? Sure. Veggies couldn't talk back.

Bakura pressed his lips against their cold match as he breathed life into his hikari, Nina Sky.

* * *

Her first thought was that this was an alternate reality.

Her second thought was that it was too dang bright.

Nina got up from the ground in a flowery white dress that was dotted with little pink flowers. She rubbed her watering eyes; it was much too bright.

She stood squinting wondering how in the world she'd gotten here –and in a dress no less! What had happened? Nina's brain was foggy, clouded by the too-green meadow, the too perfect, crystal clear river, and the birds breaking out into merry songs in perfect harmony.

Walt Disney had finally taken over the world? Perhaps.

"Helloooo, anyone here?" Nina called out into the utopia. If there was a soul to be found they were plaintively ignoring the befuddled girl.

Nina frowned; something just wasn't right with this picture…She spotted a stick lying out of place on the pristine grass. Odd it almost looked like a- lightning bolt! Harry Potter?

Suddenly images rushed into Nina's mind; she had been swimming in the water to shore and then –BAM!– memory blast, she had gotten hit by lightning, and then blacked out. And now she was here…in a green meadow? Somehow this didn't add up right unless she was…

"Dead? Am I dead?" Nina asked herself, extremely worried. How would her family and Carla fare? How'd they explain her freakish death? How'd Bakura even take it? Was he back in hell? Did he even care? She held her head feeling a colossal headache coming on from information overload. She looked down at the ground accusatorily at the odd stick.

And then she gulped.

For it wasn't a Harry-Potter-scar-imposter stick any longer.

It was a snake. A hissing I'm-gonna-make-you-fry-in-hell-for-ruining-my-day rattler snake.

"Oh dear," Nina murmured fearfully as the snake coiled itself, ready to attack. If she jumped away, it would strike, and if she didn't it would also strike. Nina was just plumb screwed. "There, there Mr. Snakey, I'm not going to hurt you! You're a little beautie aren't you?" Nina cooed. Obviously she had watched way too many reruns of _The Crocodile Hunter _with Steve Irwin. Obviously she had never seen the episodes where Steve was bitten and poisoned due to his "persuasive" cooings.

Mr. Snakey in question, in the same response as it had given to Steve's compliments, glared hatefully at the naïve human and tensed its body into striking stance.

Unfortunately unlike the Australian Steve Irwin, Nina did not have antidote on hand.

So long Nina.

Nina whimpered as she saw the snake's body spring into the air as if in slow motion, its deadly fangs proudly displayed to its new victim. She shut her eyes, unable to watch her demise. It would come quickly, and then the poison would consume her and-

Well, nothing happened.

"You're being a wimp," leered a cheery voice from in front of her. Nina peeked from her fingers and gasped in utter surprise. Out of all the sights she had expected, _this_ was not one of them. Especially not in this utopia world. For you see this person just didn't fit in the Disney equation; he was a casting director's worst nightmare; he was…

"B-Bakura!" Nina cried in shock.

For there was Bakura alright, fondly petting the snake that had tried to murder Nina moments before.

"In the flesh," he said and then laughed happily at his words. Whoa. Bakura and the word happy were never meant to be in the same sentence. Something was not right.

"Bakura," Nina asked hesitantly. "Are you alright?"

The alien Bakura flashed Nina a sly smile that reflected the familiar arrogant Bakura she knew.

"I am as happy as you make me to be," he whispered to her as his enigmatic eyes were filled with an emotion foreign to Nina.

"Well, that's a funny answer. And you're looking funny as well," Nina talked to herself as she inspected the new Bakura. He still wore the red cape with the silk trousers but his spiky hair was cropped to his ears, his scar was gone, and his dagger was nowhere to be found, replaced by a…cherry-flavored lollipop. Which Bakura was now licking and every now and then, laughing, he let the snake lick as well. (a/n: I dunno about you, but this moment reminds me of Ayame from Fruits Basket)

As soon as she saw the venomous snake licking the lollipop innocently –well, that was the last straw for good little Nina Sky. She wanted answers and she wanted them NOW.

"Snakes THAT JUST TRIED TO KILL ME licking _lollipops_! You being so…_HAPPY_? Birds singing in perfect chorus? Me in a flower dress when I was just electrocuted! Bakura- if that is even who you are- what the **HECK** is going on here!" Nina bellowed uncharacteristically. She was confused out of her mind. Chuckling reached her ears, and Nina growled, "What's so funny, tomb boy?"

"You," he answered simply as he broke into fits of hysterical laughter, the stupid snake joining him in the equivalent to a laugh: tongue flicking. Nina's azure eyes darkened as her stunning eyes twitched madly.

"It's not funny! Just answer my question!" Nina gave her kitten roar as she tightened her dainty hands into fists. Bakura noted it with extreme amusement, but stopped the hysterical laughing.

"There, there kitten," Bakura consoled with a warm smile. A muscle in Nina jaw's twitched threateningly: _kitten!_ "Do you really want to know where you are?" he asked innocently, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

Nina's glare of I-hope-you-shrivel-up-and-die was a sufficient answer. Bakura snorted.

"You know being testy really doesn't suit you, kitten (kitten: (hiss) DIE. (hiss))…Okay, okay fine I'll tell you Nina, don't have a hissy fit, ha ha get it? (N: TT)…You…are…in…" Bakura looked like he was about to go into another tangent or give his answer a nice, long dramatic pause when Nina snapped back,

"Just get on with it; I want to go home! WHERE **AM** I BAKURA!"

"You're in your subconscious," he answered with raised brows, his dramatic moment ruined. Any retort Nina had died in her mouth,

"So I'm not dead?" she asked in a small voice.

"Nope. You are in your 'innocent' mind. God, can you say Disney fanatic? Well, at least Bambi'll be proud…Don't look at me like that; it's not my fault you're a "goody two shoes" as your Bakura puts it. Heck, I'm not even real," Bakura added as an afterthought with a lick of his lollipop and a shrug.

"If you're not then what are you? Where's the real Bakura?" Nina asked confused. Bakura's cheerful grin vanished as he regained his mysterious, sexy (OMG she did not just think that…dangit, she did) aura. Bakura smirked at her, a swagger in his step as he cupped Nina's chin in one hand easily. Nina found she couldn't look away as she saw the lollipop perched precariously in his mouth. As he licked his lips seductively when he removed the lollipop, Nina couldn't help it; she drooled like a mindless fangirl. Good thing in perfect utopialand it wasn't visible. Bakura still smirked at her.

"What am I, my kitten? I'm whatever you want me to be. This is your world…" he whispered into her ear as he traced her jawline softly. "Admit it, kitten, you like this."

"I-I don't," she replied extremely flustered, a cute blush filling her cheeks.

"Then why is your mind letting me?" he asked politely. But he stopped toying with her as he looked up at the darkening sky with a furrowed brow. The grass looked dull. The birds had stopped singing.

"You need to get out of here, I'm afraid," he concluded in a worried voice as even the snake wrapped around his trousers in a beltlike fashion seemed to agree with its master in a worried tongue flick. (Don't ask Nina how a tongue flick can look worried; this was an odd world.)

"Well, that's what I've been asking you, smart one. How do I get out of here?" Nina said exasperated and still blushing. Well, if this was her fantasy Bakura, she had to congratulate her imagination.

"Just give it a couple more moments; I'm sure _he'll_ save you." He said. Nina had a good feeling who "_he_" was, but she knew it could never be he. He hated her with a passion unrivaled only by the hate of the murderer of his family.

"Nah, I don't think so, my pet…Just because you can't see something with your eyes doesn't mean it's not there," a familiar voice whispered huskily into her ear, sending shivers up her spine. The other Bakura. He could hear her thoughts. Great.

And then the realization struck; he had heard ALL of her thoughts. She started blushing furiously.

He smirked at her once more before patting her on the head, ruffling her perfect black hair.

"Ra, I envy him. You're adorable." He said much to Nina's embarrassment as she turned bright red. Nina could've sworn he muttered "Good thing I _am_ a part of him," to himself, but maybe that was her perverted imagination at work.

Then she felt a sudden weight on her neck. That was tightening around her neck slowly. In a Death grip. No worries.

"AGGHHHHH! GET THE SNAKE OFF OF ME!" Nina shrieked in surprise as Mr. Snakey looked at her innocently with a tongue flick of 'I have your best interests in mind,'

"Calm down Nina, he's just giving you a hug! He's worried about your safety!" Bakura said in a placating voice to no avail. This "hug" was slowly choking Nina in a death embrace as Nina's face went red from lack of blood circulation.

"Get. (sputter) HIM. (pant) OFF!" she managed to choke out. Bakura raised an eyebrow of amusement before gently untangling the suddenly-willing snake.

"Oh, he was just trying to kill you so you'd wake up," Bakura consoled.

"WAKE UP! HOW CAN I WAKE UP IF HE KILLS ME!" Nina bellowed, where you could practically see her hissing like an enraged kitty who had just gotten her tail stepped on.

"He was trying to stimulate an extreme emotion in you, so your body would get the jolt it needed to get out of here," Bakura explained with the air of a scientist. "No need to get you fur in a huff, kitten." He said with a flirtatious wink, losing any trace of intelligence. Nina glared at him with icy cold blue eyes.

"I'm afraid it wasn't successful though was it?" Bakura whispered his demeanor changed once more into his alluring, sexy mysterious self. "You need something more than just pure fear…don't you?" he whispered as his warm breath tickled Nina's face. His eyes were full of something that Nina had never seen directed at her. Love? No, it was lust, she was sure. She trembled softly as Bakura wrapped his arms around her.

"Don't be afraid kitten," he said huskily as he held her trapped in his strong arms. "I only want the best for you, and this is the only way for your life." Nina started to believe this small consolation…well, until he started pulling her closer.

"You have to wake up now," Bakura warned Nina as a last chance. "Or else."

"Or else what?" Nina asked in a hushed voice, her heartbeat speeding uncontrollably. She didn't know what was going on, but a part of her actually _wanted_ Bakura. And that scared her. Yet it thrilled her too. Dang hormones.

Bakura, his seductive eyes half-lidded, smiled slowly at his naïve, trembling girl, softly stroking her blushing cheek as he moved his face even closer to Nina's. His russet eyes held an unchecked fiery passion for want, lust, or maybe perhaps…for love?

Nina soon found out.

"Or else, _this_."

And then he kissed her.

* * *

Carla stared at her dreaming Yami, hoping against hope that this was all a horrible nightmare, or that Ashton Kutcher was going to show up and say she'd gotten Punk'd.

Anything to make this sight in front of her not real.

Yami gave a soft moan in his dream as he whispered, "Zahara, oh my Zahara,"

Carla was pretty sure that this 'Zahara' was a woman. Not her. Not good for Yami.

She had run over to Yami in the hopes that whatever she saw in the lightning was wrong: a hallucination that Yami would soothe her about. Carla felt her blood boil as her "loyal" boyfriend smiled goofily as he gave another moan of pleasure.

TT Yami was going down.

"_Despiertarte bastardo!_" Carla yelled as she gave Yami a good slap on the cheek. The awful thing was that Yami even required another slap for his eyes to flutter open.

"MMmmmm Wha-? Ow, is that you Carla?" Yami said sleepily as he rubbed open his eyes. Carla slapped him harder across the cheek.

"Pleasant dreams? (Yami looks worried: how much did she see?) Yes, it's me you cheating git. I'm sorry I'm not your precious _Zahara_," Carla spat with venom Yami had not heard before in his life. All the blood drained out of his face as soon as he heard the word 'Zahara' confirming a raging Carla's suspicions. Oh Ra, he was screwed. Someone shoot him…before Carla most certainly did.

"Yes, Z-A-H-A-R-A. Your little dream girl, no?" Carla said, taking an intimidating step toward Yami. Yami was having one of those moments where you hope the ground swallows you up as he stared longingly at the ground. The ground stared right back. Yami was going to have to go through this alone. It was most definitely Yami Hunting Season. With a mad short hikari girl holding a rifle on the heels of a wee wittle Bunny Wabbit named Wami. Wami was screwed.

"Carla, it's not what you think-" Yami started out, trying to placate his fiery hikari who seemed all for his murder right now. (hunting hikari girl fires first shot, darn it missed!)

"WHO. THE. HELL. IS. ZAHARA!" Carla interrupted through gritted teeth, completely ignoring Yami's placations.

"I don't know who you're-"

"LIAR! Tell me who she is! I saw her when I was nearly STRUCK by lightning!" Carla bellowed, her laser beam glare practically melting Yami.

"You were struck by lightning! Are you alright?" Yami asked, suddenly extremely worried. He tried to get Carla's arm but was slapped away.

"Like you'd care," Carla said coldly. "Tell me who you're precious Zahara is and how she fit into your hot dream equation, _Pharaoh_?" she leered. Oh no, when Carla used the term Pharaoh like Marik, then you knew she was pissed.

"I-I," Yami said, feeling like a trapped mouse before his death sentence: the hungry cat awaited. He couldn't tell her; she'd never forgive him. Lucky for him, he was saved by a lightning bolt. No, I am not kidding.

"My Ra, did that bolt of lightning just strike someone in the water!" Yami yelled, surprised as he pointed out the lightning ray.

"Oh don't give me any of that cra-" Carla started out furious, before she whipped her head around as she heard a scream. A scream so piercing, so feminine, so horribly familiar to hear…Nina's. NO.

"Oh God, no," Carla whispered to herself as she turned pale, her mahogany eyes lost all their fire. Then both teenagers felt an eerie silence as the shrieking wail of pain stopped.

"She can't be-" Carla started out before gulping down her last word hard. Yami looked at her without saying a word, his expression unreadable. Carla's eyes flashed with desperation as she snatched the Millennium Puzzle from Yami and put it on, next to the diamond necklace Yami had bought her months ago.

"We'll just have to save her then, won't we?" Carla said calmly as she ran off towards the direction of where the lightning had hit. She said it in the same voice one uses when announcing the weather; this new Carla…was either odd, brave or stupid. Yami picked all of the above. Because Yami was extremely worried; this was the same attitude Carla had taken before she had decided to commit suicide in order to save Yami. Carla was wild with bravery. Stupid, stupid bravery.

"Yes," he said shortly before following her. Despite their inevitable fight, he had to make sure she didn't do anything rash. (Heck, who was he kidding? He'd probably have to join her mad scheme) Thankfully she'd at least forgotten about Zahara.

"So, about our rescue mission…as soon as Nina is okay you WILL tell me who Zahara is, right Yami? Answer me, you dolt!"

Um, not. Roasted Wami, anyone? Life sucks.

* * *

'Life sucks,' was Bakura's prominent thought as he sucked mouth on Nina, praying with all his heart that the damn fool would wake up. Truth be told, he didn't mind Nina's sweet little mouth on his…hey, in his defense, it was better than a warty toad's.

Bakura stopped for a short breather as he pumped her stomach once more. "Stupid (pant) _ahou_ (pant) Do you listen (gasp) to me? (pant) No-o. Ra, at least you're not warty." Bakura growled to his unconscious hikari girl. She sputtered softly as if she actually was trying to breathe when her chest made a feeble rise…and then it stopped.

And then he began round two.

Bakura was starting to tire; you try giving your breath for over ten minutes, and see how long _you_ can last. Mind you, Bakura was already a powerful dead spirit. Hope was fading though; she seemed so pale, color drained from her face as her pulse became slower and slower. Nina was in Death's waiting arms. Luckily there was a stubborn white-haired thief holding her back. Barely.

'Wake up, wake up you fool!' he chanted in his mind link to her as he held the brat in his arms. He willed both his mind and body to force her to wake up, but Bakura felt his world begin to get woozy. Lack of oxygen (he was still forced to breathe…Damn Gods), was making the world spin like a mad carousel around him. He forced his russet eyes to stay awake as he gave one last shot before he collapsed. Bakura focused all of his willpower into one final breath as he screamed his healing spell in his mind,

'_MEDA NIJITSU!_' he pleaded.

He really didn't expect it to work. He just felt he had to do one last try before exhaustion overtook him. You know that whole last ditch effort where you know there's no point but it makes your ego feel better. A guilt easer, nothing more; never supposed to actually _succeed_. How absurd.

But it did.

So of course, Bakura was extremely surprised when he felt a steady pulse pick up again as his hikari began to breathe shallowly on her own. But this surprise was nothing- absolutely _nothing_- compared to what Nina did next.

Her eyes bolted open as if a freight train were on her heels.  
Right when Bakura was still performing his "kiss of life".

The world went still. Shocked russet met equally shocked sky azure.

And for once, both were utterly speechless. Can we say priceless?

This was certainly a sight Nina hadn't been expecting to see when she woke up (Nina had been innocently thinking along the lines of worried faces, perhaps even a paramedic, not close-ups of your certified madman Yami. Poor, poor naïve little Nina.)  
Needless to say, Nina was experiencing major déjà vu as she woke up to find a familiar man's lips currently resting on her own. Well, perhaps "resting on" was not the best word choice. Ah yes, she knew the proper term: _kissing_. Or if you really wanted to get technical, _Frenching_, Nina thought ruefully as she felt a tongue that was not her own within the cavern of her mouth. For a moment it felt like she was back in her perverted subconscious with the other Bakura doing things to Nina that…well, all she would say that they had certainly woken her up. For a moment, Nina's eyes flickered from Bakura's mouth to his surprised eyes and then back again in total detachment. This was one of those times where her brain was going to need a moment to react…

1…

Bakura seemed to be regaining his thoughts as he stared blankly at the girl, not comprehending.

2…

Nina stared back at Bakura, thinking idly that his hair looked awfully cute long. She wondered how it would feel if she buried her fingers in it, or what kind of shampoo he used…

2 ½…

Both peered critically at the other, knowing that something was missing in this picture. Wait for it…

3…

And then both of their brains clicked.

"**WHAT DID YOU DO!"** both yelled at their counterpart as they sprung apart as if electrocuted. Oh yeah, the color had really returned to Nina's blushing cheeks. Even the faintest, the faintest mind you, color of pink crept up Bakura's face as he looked at Nina's roughened lips that probably mirrored his own.

"ME!" Nina roared, mind in turmoil as she was sure that somewhere in an alternate universe a snake and a white-haired boy were laughing hysterically at her. Nina finally cracked. "_I_ was in my subconscious being harassed by your clone! _I _was just electrocuted! _I_ was just nearly DEAD! WHAT IN THE SAM HILL WERE _YOU_ DOING BAKURA!"

There was definitely a look-at-me pink tinge filling Bakura's cheeks as he howled,

"NOT WHAT YOU THINK YOU PERVERTED LITTLE WENCH! I was trying to SAVE you because my magic failed baka, and the only way to do so was to give you Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation! CPR, NOTHING MORE DAMMIT!"

"Then what was with your delayed reaction Bakura, huh!" Nina yelled in his face, not wanting to be yelled at so of course, yelled back.

"What was with _yours_!" Darn, she should've seen that coming. Nina bit back the bile words rising in her throat, and swallowed her pride. She was going to tell the truth.

"I was shocked…_You_…were kissing me," Nina paused looking down at the floor, touching her reddened lips softly.

"For the last time I wasn't kissing you," Bakura reiterated firmly but in a gentler voice. He needed a breather from the yelling.

"Well, you count too, but I was talking about someone else," Nina said in a faraway voice. Bakura resisted the urge to immediately ask who like a nosy schoolgirl. He merely clenched his hands into fists. Hard. He wasn't curious at all. Ignore the wide, intense give-me-some-details-biotch russet eyes.

"I was talking about the you…in my subconscious. Laughing, perverted, happy, mysterious you. I was shocked." Nina said softly as she fought to hide her blush by hiding it behind her porcelain hands. "He told me he wanted to save me…so he kissed me. (dryly) He was right; I awoke alright…He reminds me so much of…you, but happier," she murmured, still hiding.

"Well, I guess I am him somehow…" Bakura said as hegently pried her hands away from her face. "Just a much hotter, cooler version." Nina smiled unwillingly, that was her Bakura alright. He softly stroked a warm rosy cheek with a calloused finger, looking for any damage or bleeding. He found none. "Don't hide behind your hands," he said simply. If Nina or anyone suspected kindness from his words…his violent ruffling of her pristine hair ruined the moment…as well as the "accidental" tripping as she got up. He was Bakura after all.

So it was then that a frizzy, sand-covered Nina glared threateningly at him. Granted she had to crane her head up as Bakura was taller…but she still thought she got her point across. Well, until Bakura's next remark.

"You know you remind me of an angry poofed-up kitten." Bakura commented with a smirk as he coughed to hide a chuckle. Nina hissed. She walked warily in front of Bakura as she quickened her pace. Bakura was pretty sure she grumbled something about 'clones', 'stupid grin', and 'why'd he have to be a good kisser'…Was it about him? Nah, definitely a muffin…he hoped.

After walking in silence for a minute across the sandy white (and now getting sunny) beach Nina said quietly,

"He should be my first you know,"

There are moments in life where one is given TMI (Too Much Information), and the proper response to this is a guffaw, a grimace, or a cringe of "Didn't need to know that,". Bakura was having a wee bit more dramatic response.

_Mayday, mayday! This is the heart radioing that we are having a meltdown! We are going dooooown! BUB bum…bub bum…bu-………_

_(sirens) Abort! Abort! This is not a drill! Go to Plan B!  
__This is the central nervous system reporting: we have lost contact as well!__He's flat lining! The stupid heart just gave out from shock! Give him a jolt!_

_Clear!_

_BEEP._

_Another one, you Radamn electrons! To the heart, not his jewels!_

_CLEAR!_

_BEEP._

_Bub bum, bub bum, bub bum…  
__Close one._

"Bakura?" Nina asked worriedly as she looked as Bakura opened his eyes from the sandy ground.

"W-what happened brat?" Bakura asked dazedly, trying to collect his bearings from the ground. He blinked open his eyes: ow, his back hurt.

"As soon as you heard 'he should be my first,' you fainted Bakura," Nina explained absently while trying to see if he was okay. She tried to place her hand over his forehead to check and see if he had a fever when…Bakura remembered. Everything.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'HE SHOULD BE MY FIRST'!" Bakura roared as he grabbed the arm, trying to reach for his forehead and then pinned her to the sand with his free arm. "WHAT DID YOU DO! DID YOU HAVE SE-"

_Slap._

"Of course not, Bakura," a blushing Nina said softly but furiously from beneath him. "What I meant was that he should be my first _kiss_,"

Oh. Oopsies. If Bakura had been anyone other than Bakura, he would've felt a trace of guilt. But alas, he was Bakura. Bakura merely released his pinned hikari from her awkward position. And let her fall. On the sand. Because didn't you hear, sand infested, matted hair is totally "in" this year. Along with having an insane Yami; they make great accessories to go with your "in" hair.

"So…if he wasn't your first kiss, who was?" Bakura asked, trying to conceal curiosity. And failing.

"Jealous?" Nina quipped from raised eyebrows as she resisted the urge to kick him up his…sensitive spot. Her hair was now in desperate need of a shower because of his innocent (innocent her a-) curiosity.

"No!" Bakura replied quickly, answering Nina's question for her. A small smile played across Nina's lips.

"So who was it?" he persisted.

"Johnny Depp," she answered perfectly serious with her eyes lowered. Bakura didn't see the mirth dancing in her eyes. He was quietly fuming while he thought heatedly to himself: _'Who the **hell** is Johnny Depp!'_

After seeing Bakura's raging face, Nina replied exasperated at his denseness, "No it was the Pharaoh (Bakura head blowing up to chibi proportions as his eyes turned red from fury: WHAT!)…I was _joking_ Bakura," Nina said with a grin.

Oh. Double oopsies.

"Stop playing you spoiled little brat, tell me who was your first kiss," Bakura said through gritted teeth. Oh, how he missed hell. Because this little hellion in front of him was nothing compared to it.

"Do you really want to know?" Nina teased, fully aware that Bakura was dying to know. "You know him…" she mused. Bakura grunted, not amused by her antics.

"Who." He said simply as he got up, not bothering to help her up as well. Let her bum stay there for all he cared.

Nina's face became serious as she got up by herself in Bakura's opposite direction. Shyly, she furtively glanced at Bakura before answering, straight to the ocean,

"You."

Bakura was taken aback for the moment before answering passionately, "I told you that wasn't a-"

"Kiss?" Nina finished for him. "Well, maybe not for you. But I think it counts." She said with her innocent smile. Damn that smile, thought Bakura; it was the smile of an idiotic buffoon.

"Hnn," Bakura grunted. "Then you are a stupid fool."

But an unwilling smile crept up his lips.

Nina caught up to Bakura and the pair walked together in silence, both lost in the recent events.

'Idiotic buffoon,' Bakura thought to himself as he glanced at the brat, still smiling sweetly. He bonked her head in an attempt to wipe that smile off. No use, she merely frowned and attempted to bonk him back on his head. Now let's remember here that Nina is a little bit vertically challenged when compared to Bakura. So her hopping up, then missing Bakura's head by a mile and then landing flat on her tush…was making it very hard for Bakura to not laugh loudly with no trace of control. Bakura's mouth twitched uncontrollably as he gave Nina a calloused hand. It was when she tripped on the sand and once more made friends with it…that Bakura gave in. His chuckles turned into rib-clutching, hysterical laughing. 'Ra, he had to admit,' Bakura thought wiping tears of mirth from his eyes, 'she may be an idiotic buffoon, but she's a hilarious one. Definitely mine.'

Nina struggled to remain composed as she continued walking, trying to ignore Bakura's chuckles. She had no idea why she had ever thought of him as a white angel, she definitely must've been hallucinating. The day Bakura became a saint was the day that Nina became a Playboy bunny and confessed to loving Bakura. But as she heard Bakura's innocent true laughter ringing through the air, she remembered exactly what had woken her up. You see, she had told a white lie before. Sure, the kissing was exhilarating but it wasn't enough to jolt her awake…No it was the other Bakura's words after he noticed that he was still there passionately kissing her. He broke off the kiss, his intense russet eyes boring into dazed azure.

_He told me you cared…_

That was when Nina found the willpower to start breathing. But she needed something more, something that her heart, however much her brain denied, secretly longed…

_He told me you love me…_

And that was what had woken Nina up. A damn stupid hope.

* * *

If I do say so myself, I liked my ending. It adds a little twist.

I'll give imaginary cookies to whoever realized that that's the first time I've ever had Nina curse. Next chapter will be the Seduction chapter. I tried to fit it in, but that would've meant more weeks of no updating…  
Please review! (still tears in eyes from last chapter's response)

Starlet36


	11. Fatal Seduction

I'M SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING SOON! Please, please forgive me! I just got caught up in my loads of homework (perhaps it is my history teacher's dream to see me breakdown and cry…as of yet, that is still a dream), exam review, and my birthday preparations (my birthday's this Sunday! Yay! Right before the math exam! Boo.)

Unfortunately since I decided to leave you at a cliffie, this chapter's rather short (in my standards) so I decided to make a completely irrevalent (set in the future) ficlet about Nina and Bakura that has nothing to do with the story…(to anyone scratching their heads)…just think of it as my birthday party gift to all of you!

Random fun facts about the story:  
1) The dream Bakura sequence…was not going to happen originally; I thought of it spontaneously (Me: Hmmm…If Bakura had a lollipop…hehehe)

2) Hikariness was not going to be written because I thought it wouldn't be well-received (was I wrong!) and sequels in general…uh, suck. What changed my mind was because I was having zero ideas for anything else, and I liked writing it!

3) I actually didn't like Bakura when I first watched the anime and was seriously considering having Seto Kaiba replace him…but then I was like: you know what? I'll give Bakura a chance…he's hot and there's just something about him…I'm glad I acted on intuition.

4) You know the Electra Shocka electrocution spell was not going to happen at all originally…Nina was supposed to be just knocked unconscious by a huge wave…so you have **Sakina the Fallen Angel** to thank for making me change the storyline a bit.

5) This is the only story I've ever written where I know exactly what's going to happen and how it's going to end. (So no turning back, agh)

6) I've actually attempted drawing Nina and Bakura and Yami and Carla (I've always wanted to see what they'd turn out in anime style)…and now have a newfound respect for drawing.

7) Lastly, I have tried to find an OC contest or whatnot to enter this story in, and have found none. I know not to get my hopes up of actually winning anything…but I just feel this fic deserves a chance…If anyone finds one, please tell me and I'll be eternally grateful.

Disclaimer: No own.

This chapter is dedicated to **Priestessdwelling82/ Ann /gIvEmEtHeDaMnSuGaR82 **as I said I would dedicate it to the one who gave me the song. And although her song was not chosen (I actually am doing the song _next_ chapter as a breakup song, eh heh sry) her persistence in the lyrics, the updates, and the numerous reviews giving all the details about the song, made me feel she was the best one for the dedication (but everyone else's reviews were AWESOME too! Next chapter, when I have time and school's over, I'll answer all your reviews personally, promise!) I hope you like the dedication!

Please enjoy!

* * *

"It's that time, those few seconds when we're coming out of sleep but we're not really awake yet. For those few seconds we are untitled, unnamed, natural, suspended between was and will be…We are for a few brief moments, anything and everything we could be.But then…we open our eyes and…we become ourselves." –Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, a beautiful, inspirational book 

Carla ran up the sand dune concealing the beach at a pace that would've made the Iron Man participants look like lazy snails. Yami followed as best he could wheezing horribly, wondering where his wee little hikari girl had gotten the endurance of a God.

Wheeze, gasp, wheeze.

"Carla," the poor spirit said with a point of a sweaty finger in between his huge gasps for beloved oxygen. "I think…(pant)…I…(gasp)…see them!"

"I know Yami. I'm in front of you silly," Carla remarked calmly, with hints of ice still laced in her voice. But she let out a breath of relief and gave a smile; Nina was alright, and the weather _was_ starting to clear up. She couldn't stay mad for too long…

In her overwhelming happiness, she let Yami comfort her by wrapping his lean arms firmly around her as she leaned her damp (it had been raining) head on his shoulder. The two could still only make out blobs on the beach…but boy, were those blobs in action.

And now commentary from a blobby perspective:

White Blob fainting…(insert concerned gasp here)…White Blob's squeaky voice saying something to Black slim blob. Black Blob falls on bottom numerous times, and tries to futilely hit taller White Blob…and then there was a pause in the action as White Blob and Black Blob walked towards the observing couple in harmony…for all of 60 seconds, a record (insert _oohs_ and _ahs_ here)…before White Blob began to act a little funny.

Funny as in twitching uncontrollably. Funny as in grabbing hold of Black Blob with what the peanut gallery involving Yami and Carla were sure was with some protests. Loud squeaky protests.

And suddenly Yami and Carla didn't find it so funny.

Because White Blob struck down Black Blob in a way that could only be described as demonic, pure unadulterated evil-…Yami's and Carla's eyes widened to the size of saucers…OMG, White Blob just tried to kill Black Blob.

And it looked like Operation Kill-Black-Blob was successful.

* * *

**TT Ra right now:** This SUCKS. That Mother f-  
He was not pleased.

* * *

They'd been fine. Walking silently to the two familiar blobs along the beach, the hikari and Yami pair were acting very normally. Nina had stopped musing over her dangerous thoughts…Oh God, she was still blushing idiotically…while Bakura was just, uh, being Bakura with his normal silent, hot, moody self. 

So they were fine…until a minute went by.

Until a certain someone up in a cloud did a last ditch spell.

Until the spell hit its mark.

Until Bakura snapped.

And then things got ugly.

Bakura had been absently thinking about how life was going to be with his hopeless hikari girl; you know, prom, boyfriends…(ewww, that was going to be GROSS and in the same BODY), college, him growing old with the Pharaoh probably still wanting to wear a Speedo- (Aghhhhhh! Bad pictures, bad pictures!)…when TWITCH.

He felt the oddest sensation. And it wasn't from imagining the Pharaoh in a Speedo (although that was a nightmare-worthy thought for him).

It was as if he was a puppet and the puppet master had just decided to test out his new toy by giving the strings a little tug. Or more specifically, Bakura's arm.

Twitch, spasm, twitch.

_Kill her…_

Uh-oh. Bakura didn't recall having a demonic little voice in his head…other than his own…

_Grab her…Toss her…_

Um, those weren't his usual thoughts…

_Rape her…Slash her…_

Bakura rubbed his ear in an attempt to stop the growing chants in his head. What the hell was going on?

_Hit her, Godammit!…**KILL HER!**_

The voices were growing louder and louder in his head, to almost impossible decibels. The chants combined into one single deafening chant: _Kill! Kill! Kill!_ Bakura finally let out a gasp of pain: too…loud…taking…over…

Can't…kill…

"Bakura? Are you okay?" asked a sweet, concerned voice to Bakura's right. One can be sure that Nina's intentions were good…but her sweet little voice entering a bloodlusty mind…just sealed her fate. Of pain.

The only sane restraint in Bakura, that had been persistently resisting the chants…snapped.

Howling in pain at the top of his lungs –you see how long you can last with a million voices all yelling at you to kill– and screaming mentally through their link, Bakura tried to throw the girl away from him in a last-ditch effort to save her…until he touched her skin.

The beautiful, ivory, silky skin. Skin so sweetly innocent, unmarred by man's touch…until he saw the scar. The demon named Bakura smirked.

The skin was intoxicatingly sweet…but the scar…was a perfection upon itself.

Bakura wanted to make some more 'perfections' on that skin…

Russet eyes horribly blank, as his grip on the girl's shoulders tightened, he uttered in a deep, guttural, raspy voice not his own, –no it belonged to someone better: master–,

"Come to Papa,"

And then his nails dug into that sweet, soft skin. Heaven.

Her shrill scream of pain was a sweet music to his ears as she pleaded to him with tears filling her eyes, "Bakura? Bakura, what are you _doing_! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

She whimpered softly and her shrill cries stopped. The Bakura with emotionless eyes grabbed her chin roughly with a sadistic pout, "Awww, you stopped. Scream for me, _queenie_," Nina's pale blue eyes widened in fear and disbelief; no one had called her that except her-

"Well, if you're just going to sit there like a stupid idiot _queenie_," Bakura said flatly as he forced Nina's scared doe-like eyes up to meet their cold, lifeless match. "Then I'm going to have to teach you some discipline, won't I?" Nina gasped at the horribly familiar phrase. She felt her throat clench up as she looked at her Yami in a paralyzed horror, and saw his curved dagger slid out of its sheath on his jeans. Pointed…at her neck.

'_Not again...no, not this again...' _Nina thought quietly in a dazed stupor as she felt an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. She saw the dagger follow its familiar path, raised above her head, poised to strike. Poised to kill.

The world was silent; no one was going to help…like before…

"Bakura," she whispered as a last attempt when she saw the maniacal hand swoop up the air in an arc. "Please stop." She murmured with tears sliding down her soft, ebony cheeks. The remarkable thing is that…Bakura actually listened…err, somewhat

The dagger stopped mid-air, hesitating, as if unsure of which course to follow: good or evil? Demonic Bakura's eyes flashed for a moment with recognition, his body perspiring as his hand trembled.

"Please STOP, Bakura, don't do this! You are my Yami, my protector," Nina thought, lying through her teeth as she begged the man to follow her exaggeration. 'Go with me,' she begged. 'If there is a God, let him listen! You owe me darnit!'

_KILL! KILL! KILL! KI-_

'No', answered an unused little voice in his head. Normal humans refer to this commentating voice as their insanity, but to Bakura this _was_ his sanity. How typical. 'You know what, I'd rather not.'

"I'm your hikari, your light," Nina continued desperately as she saw Bakura violently trembling, his mind fighting for control.

_Kill…! KILL?_

'She's an idiot…but she's my idiot so please do leave,' answered Bakura's polite sanity. 'I'm afraid she needs me, so I'm going to have to ask you all to f-k off, okey dokey?'

And with that polite/disturbing defense Bakura began to regain control.

Nina could not take it anymore; she could not look at the dagger taunting her in front of her face…This had to stop. Oh, if only his grasp on her weren't so strong! "Oh Gods, BAKURA PLEASE **STOP!**" she yelled at him in fright. But it was too late. She saw Bakura's evil win and the dagger swooped down, intent on re-etching its perfection on her porcelain skin when-

THWACK. **OOF.**

The dagger had a change of heart…err, somewhat.

Ow. That had to hurt.

Let's just say that being slapped in her cleavage area by the flat end of a dagger…was not a performance Nina would care to repeat. What she wouldn't give for a good 'ol lightning bolt right then…

Bakura stood over her, the dagger falling to the sand softly in his limp hands. Though the body had won, the traitorous mouth had its final laugh on Nina Sky,

"I'll be back, bitch!" he snarled vehemently before any trace of malevolence left the tomb robber sprit as if the incident had never occurred.

And then there was silence as normal, bright russet eyes met her own with a blinking expression of 'Whoa,' He was back.

"Your boobs okay?" was Bakura's first blunt question as he extended a hand towards his fallen hikari girl. (Definitely back.) The second was "What the hell just happened?"

Nina answered neither. She looked at Bakura as though he were psychotic, as she backed away from him slowly.

"Look brat, I'm very sorry." Bakura said with pale eyebrows raised at his cowering hikari girl. Was it his bare chest? Its manly, muscled glory _was_ a bit much for the average human. "I don't know what just happened but it's ove-"

"_Sorry!_ Is that all you can say? 'Sorry for nearly beheading you, Nina. No hard feelings'! You evil man, stay _away_ from me! He was there inside you, probably going to come back at any moment!" Nina said shrilly as she stumbled up on her feet, looking at Bakura…like he was Evil. Yes, with a capital E. Bakura had received this look numerous times through his errr less than honorable lifetimes (can you say understatement of the year?), and had the blessing of receiving this look on a daily basis with the Pharaoh (it looked more constipated than you-are-scum-of-the-earth though, tee hee)…but on his hikari, it simply did not look right. Bakura didn't like it; he wanted that idiotic blush back.

'_He wanted his little idiot to smile.' _Deranged I-had-one-too-many-tequilas-in-Mexico thinking he would later categorize this ludicrous thought.

"He's gone, whoever he is. I _won_, Nina. You have to believe me when I say I would never-"

"Hurt me?" Nina bitterly answered his words for him. She chuckled with no mirth in her eyes, "That is the biggest lie I've ever heard in my life," She paused and her face darkened for a moment remembering a snarling Bakura's last words, "Okay maybe second biggest, but if you would never hurt me, then why'd you fling me the other day across the room? Why did you dig your nails into my arm? Why'd you try to dice me in TWO THE FIRST DAY WE MET? If you are so sure of your goodness Bakura, then WHY IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, (WHICH IS MORE I CAN SAY FOR YOU BAKURA) DID YOU ACT LIKE MY-" She broke off gasping, the unspoken written on her anguished face. She had crossed the line.

And she had piqued Bakura's insatiable curiosity. Just like mixing stale Cheerios and the milk you forgot had expired (gag); not a good mix.

The difference was that a bad breakfast you could get through after some Pepto Bismol and serious indigestion…a prodding Bakura with an overemotional Nina…had more lasting effects. Think of it as some serious indigestion.

"Act like your _what_, Nina?" he asked, suddenly curious.

"Nothing," she murmured to the ground, sniffing.

"It's never nothing," her Yami prodded, taking a step closer, trying to fathom his hikari's odd behavior. "Tell me."

"It's nothing important then," she answered, and then taking a not-so-discreet step backwards, she sniffed. "And I don't have to tell you anything,"

"Yes, you do. I'll be the persistent little voice in your head; I'm a patient man, brat. Tell me," he said as he grasped Nina's shoulders. He would later reflect that he never meant to tighten his hands so hard on her slim shoulders, but he honestly didn't know his own strength sometimes. Nina did not take it as calmly as her counterpart.

"Stop hurting me, Bakura!" she yelled, furious at the nails clawing into her bare skin. Bakura did as told, quickly releasing her. Her voice quieted, but the intense loathing passion in her words only grew as she murmured heatedly, "You know who you act like, Bakura? My _father_. And there is no greater insult than that."

A stunned silence followed.

_He didn't look that old did he?_ (a/n: I think you all as well as I are all doing an anime fall right about now) 

Though Bakura's curiosity had been satisfied, he felt an empty hollowness in his victory at the deadly silence that followed. You could cut the tension with a knife. He could feel waves of anger, anger directed at HIM, emanating through their link.

Bakura felt like he had just eaten a bowl of stale Cheerios with sour expired milk.

Luckily, there was Pepto Bismol, cure to all indigestion. And this time, Pepto Bismol came in the form of a pharaoh and a worried brunette.

"OMG what just happened? Are you, okay Nina! Did you get electrocuted? Bakura, what about you; how are-" her concerned rant was cut off by a large hand over her mouth. Yami had effectively shut up his kinder half as he said coolly to Bakura, "I don't think you need to worry about him, _querida_. He seemed to be doing quite well when he was _hitting his hikari!_" Bakura's fists were tightened, ready to give that pretty boy a good punch, when he felt his hikari, yes, you know the one who gave him the insult of insults and was radiating enough hate to roast marshmallows, spoke up quickly, "No he wasn't, Mr. Yami, sir."

Great start. But as she had to answer Yami's question of "Then, what'd he do with his dagger to you, Nina?", she found herself wishing she could be mute. Mutes didn't have to answer to three pairs of questioning eyes.

"Um…he saw a bug, and tried to swat it!" she said quickly, thinking the first thing that popped into her head. She then smacked her head mentally: a bug! Could she be any lamer! "Yeah, I have an extreme bug-phobia." Apparently, she could. She continued with her lie to three pairs of disbelieving eyes.

"Well, there you have it then, Yami. Bakura didn't hurt her; he was merely swatting a fly." She reassured a grumbling Yami. But when Yami was engrossed in his mutterings, she gave Nina a wink and her perceptive eyes sparkled with mischief. She _knew_. Thus, Nina confirmed a fact she had long ago came to learn: sometimes, Carla was too smart for her own good.

((What the hell did you just do?))

(((I told them you saved me from a bug, Bakura))) she pointed out the obvious in a detached voice not her own.

((Bull. You stood up for me and I want to know why when just a moment ago you wanted nothing to do with a no-good thief like me.)))

Nina gave a tired sigh. (((I don't want to cause any more trouble, Bakura, alright? Please, just leave me alone.))) It was that defeated note in her voice that touched Bakura the most. She seemed so…sad.

And the mere thought of him caring an iota disgusted him far more than stale cheerios and bad milk ever could.

But it was a nice disgust…like eating too much cake…

((Yeah, well even though I didn't need your help…)) he seemed to struggle for a moment. He could feel the bile rising in his throat as he thought his next words. ((Thanks, brat.)) Ugh, too much cakey goodness.

For a moment, Bakura could've sworn he felt a small wave of gratitude directed at him amidst the hate and misery, but it was probably just his imagination. He smiled nonetheless.

However, all was not well in paradise…

"So…now, that we know Nina and Bakura are okay…" Carla started out kindly to her boyfriend before her eyes hardened, "Tell me who Zahara is."

'Not Zahara again…' Yami groaned. "She's nobody, Carla." He ran a hand through his hair worriedly, trying to evade Carla's witty questions. On the bright side, Carla had no way of knowing as long as he kept his lips sealed. He was safe.

And then he saw Carla tell the Puzzle, "Tell me the truth, Puzzle, is she really nobody?"

Yami's heart stopped as he willed the Millennium to be quiet, to obey its master. Time was still as the Puzzle contemplated who to follow: his master or his mistress?

Choose me radammit, I'm your faithful master…Remember our long history together as rulers of Egypt…You were the nice squiggly drawing next to my statue, remember?

Choose me, remember all those times I polished you…I even wore you to the dance…I would never label you a mere squiggly drawing; more like Triumphant Pyramid of Almighty Cakey Goodness (TPOACG).

Decisions, decisions…

In the end, the Millennium Puzzle glimmered at Carla: proving once more that you win more with thinking up cool acronyms than labeling them as squigglies.

Yami glared sharp daggers at the Puzzle: _traitor! _

Don't ask Yami how, but he could swear that the Puzzle was sticking his tongue at him: _Who's the squiggly drawing now? _(Yami swore to find the nearest fire and chuck said squiggly drawing in there)

Carla was sticking his tongue at him too (and not in the way he'd like); she was mocking him, that clever, deceitful, beautiful imp! She said to him mentally, with her dark eyes, deadly serious: Let's find out the truth, Yami…

Yami groaned. He was screwed.

For there was a deadly secret he had spent 5,000 years forgetting, trying to keep hidden from the world…and one innocent clever girl was going to find it out.

Damn innocence.

* * *

All four teenagers felt a lurch as the Millennium Puzzle transported them to ancient Egypt, a time where Duel Monsters were played in Shadow Games for power, thieves were hero-worshipped, and your greatest friend…could be your worst enemy. 

So was the case as Yami, Carla, Nina, and Bakura landed in a heap in the Pharaoh's bedroom chamber. Who won the dogpile? Bakura, duh. (Though the Pharaoh still managed to nearly poke Bakura's eye out with the Millennium Puzzle Point…(MPP)

It was a lavish chamber, with gold glimmering off of every wall. Plush oriental rugs in the deepest ruby carpeted the floor, intricate hieroglyphics adorned the stone walls, and a desk nearby was covered in papyrus scrolls, gold objects, and the odd occasional fruit. The room was obviously expensive, in its ostentatious beauty of gold pillars marking the entrance with -you guessed it- gold painted curtains, and overall gold and rubies being the theme throughout the room. But the Yamis' and hikaris' attention was directed at the centerpiece: the Pharaoh's bed.

It was a bed that would've made Martha Stewart sell her soul for: a pure gold bed with a design of Horus' eye upfront and center, a deep ruby bedspread with what was sure, of the softest Egyptian cotton. But that wasn't what made Carla gasp.

The gold-laced, rich crimson curtains, pulled back, revealed a young man resting on a pillow, idly reading a scroll as a familiar Puzzle glinted on the night table. His tri-colored spiky hair adorning a gold crown with a Horus eye as a centerpiece, as well as the familiar crimson eyes left no doubt as to whom the man was.

"Yami! It's you! Only tanner! And wearing no shirt!" Carla gasped before anyone could shut her up. They all stood, fearful, expecting Yami to react, but his eyes were still glued to the scroll. Either Yami was a nerdy bookworm, or he really couldn't hear Carla. Carla, Yami, and Nina chose the latter. Bakura happily thought the former.

"So, this really is a memory…" Carla murmured more to herself than the others. Yami gazed at the Puzzle in Carla's hands, begging It to hear his silent plea.

_Keep on dreaming, you naughty bookworm! _Yami needed to get his sanity checked; he just thought he heard the Puzzle not only speak, but insult its master! (Must…find…fire…) In a desperate last attempt to avoid the inevitable, Yami tried to get everyone to leave but found it was too late: light footsteps could be heard coming nearer and nearer…

Yami resisted the urge to cower in fear and hide under the bed…barely. Carla, who was just starting to dispel her suspicions at the innocent Yami before her until-

"Why, hello Atem," purred a feminine voice.

Until Zahara arrived.

A curvy figure stepped out of the shadows and it was clear that Zahara was no passing slave or visitor. She was royalty. And a slut.

Dressed in the finest, laciest lingerie that would have made Britney Spears cry tears of envy (and the outfit could only be described as lingerie not a dress), the bra was made of the shiniest, softest white satin, begging to be touched, and trimmed with gold and rubies (in honor of guess who?). As for the white Egyptian skirt, it was…rather short. Okay, okay to be more specific Bakura and Yami felt the symptoms of a nosebleed as their eyes watered.

Zahara may have been dressed like a skank…but beauty shows no bias, and Zahara was definitely stunning. She was Supermodel tall, (much to Carla's intense dislike), slender with long lean legs that were the faintest of tan. She had short black hair cut straight with a diamond-covered gold crown with an unfamiliar signia of an etched black star. But it was her piercing, alluring gray eyes framed by long lashes that stared at "Atem" lustily.

Despite/With (depending on who you were) her ahem exotic attire, Princess Zahara was drop-dead gorgeous.

All in the room could only think one thought: _Dayumn!_

The Pharaoh glanced at her in surprise.

"Princess Zahara, I thought you were asleep," he said innocently enough, to Yami's delight. Just end the memory now, and I can make up a story about her being my pretentious cousin or something…

"I was…until I started thinking about…us," she whispered huskily, taking a step forward with a lusty smirk as she batted her kohl-lined eyes and pouted her desirable lips. Oh dear: definitely, not pretentious cousin material. "Can you give me a goodnight kiss; I can't sleep thinking about you, Atem…In fact, I don't want to sleep." The temptress fiddled with the bra strap while she waited for his answer.

The innuendo was clear. Yami and Atem both blushed. Carla gave a formidable scowl. And Bakura gave Yami a knowing, disgusted glance while he covered Nina's eyes with his hands as he whispered in response to her protests, "You're too innocent to see what's going to happen next, brat. Now shush."

Comprehension dawned.

_Ohhhhhh_…Nina blushed. She still peeked through her Yami's hands, hoping he would be wrong. She was sadly mistaken.

"Zahara," a blushing Pharaoh sputtered, "I don't think we should do that until after the-" he broke off as if the word caused him discomfort. Zahara took another step forward, until she was at the foot of the bed watching the Pharaoh with amused, calculating eyes.

"Don't be nervous, my Pharaoh. I won't bite…_hard_." She murmured as her eyes roamed Atem's hard, bronze, six-packed chest hungrily.

"Please, Zahara, I have to finish this report to the farmers by tomorrow," the Pharaoh Atem pleaded in a last attempt to stop her. Innocent enough, neh? But he had put down the scroll: the first sign of weakness. Carla gave a soft growl while Yami prayed futilely to the Gods: _don't let Carla see what's coming next...You do want me to live, don't you?_

Pharaoh Atem slinked upwards to his feet, giving in to temptation as he met the beautiful woman before him. He wrapped a strand of black hair around his finger lovingly while he murmured, "I do not know how I feel towards you Zahara," Point for Yami! "_Bu-ut_…I am only human…and cannot resist such beauty,"

Apparently, the Gods did not want Yami to live.

"So Zahara, now you must leave my chamber before I give in to your wiles; you have to rest up for the event tomorrow," he scolded her.

"But what if I don't want to sleep?" she asked, her pretty face descending closer and closer to Atem's…

Atem smirked sexily; Yami wailed mentally. "Then, I'll just have to teach you a lesson, then won't I?" His arms trapped the Princess in his arms, and his lips certainly taught her "lesson". Indeed, this lesson involved much tutoring in the usage of tongue and having the suction force to rival a tornado's. Carla was sickened, and when Yami tried to comfort her with a "_Querida_," he found she had moved far beyond his grasp to stand alone, her mind cut off to him. She was in shock.

"Oh, Atemmmm!" Zahara moaned as Atem kissed her neck. "Atem, how I love you!"

"Me too," the Pharaoh said shortly before nibbling on her ear.

Yami dearly wished he could block out the noise by singing 'Lalalalala!' but the memory was everywhere…even in his mind.

Zahara pushed Atem onto the bed as she dug her hands into his wild hair as she left a trail of kisses down his neck (O.O **Nina**: Oh my, **Bakura**: I told you to not look, stupid brat!), down his bronze chest (Carla: …), and then slowly but steadily, she kissed her way further down South to his-

"ZAHARA!" Atem yelled suddenly, turning crimson. He had been groaning in pleasure moments before, but that-that discretion was…below the belt (a/n: no pun intended!).

"What?" she said innocently. Carla felt her heart start to shatter.

"You know what, Zahara! Don't _do_ that until-until" a modest (who knew after all that tongue action?) Pharaoh Atem stuttered, embarrassed.

"No time like the present, my Pharaoh," she said as she entwined herself into the Pharaoh on his bed. "You do love me, don't you?"

Ah, here came the big question. One whose answer could save Yami…as well as doom him to eternal damnation in the form of a 5'3 girl.

Even Carla glanced at Yami with a trace of hope before gazing at the couple on the Pharaoh's bed. Yami wanted someone to shoot him; he knew exactly what his answer was. And it wasn't "Gee whiz, can't we just be friends?" Hell no, how he wished.

Pharaoh Atem kissed her forehead before answering slowly, "Of course I love you Zahara." His lips found hers and after a minute of caressing them he whispered huskily –rubbing salt into Carla's bleeding heart, "You're the only one I could ever love."

_You're the only one I could ever love_…Carla's heart shattered into a billion pieces as a boy named Yami stomped on it to pieces.

But that wasn't all. Atem fell to fatal seduction to those irresistible gray eyes; he'd do anything, anything…they were so hypnotic…

And then came the revelation of the secret Yami had been trying to hide for five millennia, that would shock Nina and Bakura into silence, and would leave a certain hikari girl not only heartbroken but gone forevermore from her Yami's reach…

Zahara blew out the lamp and entwined her arms around Yami's bare chest. That didn't stop the awful words from being uttered.

"Good, so you'll be getting me an expensive present," she said softly as the soft rustling of sheets was heard. Oh dear, the bra fluttered to the floor…it had had a wardrobe malfunction. Bakura clamped his hands firmly on his hikari's eyes.

"For what?" Atem said dazedly, ogling the goddess before him. An unseen observer cackled; this was nothing like the movies where the good guys had no flaws and always triumphed over evil…This time, evil in the form of seduction had won. Yami was eternally screwed.

Because, next, came the words that Yami had tried so hard to forget. The itty bitty detail he'd "forgotten" to tell Carla about…

"For what?" Zahara purred, amused at the Pharaoh's obliviousness to her true intentions. An easy heart and sheer stupidity would always be his greatest flaws. "For our wedding, my silly fiancé. We're getting married tomorrow, don't you remember?"

* * *

I think that's an interesting soap-opera-worthy plot twist (all I need now is an evil twin clone)…Who knew that the Pharaoh was already tied? That would make Carla (gasp) the other woman…aw, shucks, I'd be furious too… 

Next chapter: Saying Carla will just get angry…would be one of the biggest understatements in my life…She'll be worse…

**IMPORTANT A/N:** I will not be updating for a while. This is a guaranteed statement, I'm afraid because of exams (sob) next week. Math, Science, English, History, and Spanish! Waaaaahhhhh; all one day after another! And then to top it all of National Piano Guild Auditions (grumble, I'm only getting state this year…but that's a different story)…so forgive me. I will update ASAP.

It's also my Birthday on Sunday, May 22! Yay! Happy Birthday to me! And do you know what would be a really great birthday gift? A whole bunch of reviews…please? It's my birthday, once a year…So please review and you'll get nice imaginary cake from me!

Here's the completeley irrelevant, cute ficlet I thought up spur-of-moment (so uh, unless you guys wanted to wait a couple more weeks until after exams to update...just ignore the mistakes)

* * *

A Ficlet by Starlet (hey, that rhymes! I have now found the purpose of my pename!): **The Day Nina Got Drunk**

(a/n: for anyone who's read Fruits Basket doesn't this remind you of Ayame's: Day of Yuki's Romance title…anyways, onwards, to the ficlet!)

Nina was stressed. On-the-brink-of-losing-sanity stressed.

Today was the day her first art exposition would open, and all the pieces were still being set up…IN JAPAN DAMMIT; THE ART EXPO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN FLORIDA!

And she would also be attending Carla's campaign party for senator or somewhat tonight…with BAKURA. A blood vessel started throbbing at the mere thought.

Oh dear, she grabbed the nearby full glass and chugged it without a thought. She innocently thought it was apple juice. She gagged on the first gulp and as she choked it down she realized the truth; it was Bakura's Egyptian imported beer (B: "'cause that's where the best beer is made, dammit!")!

She didn't spit the burning drink out for the mere sake of keeping her dress intact. She was all for dumping the rest of the alcohol down the drain, but she remembered Bakura's response of when she once asked why he drunk, "It soothes my nerves, and Ra knows, that I need it being with you every day!" Hmmmm…

Nina eyed the glass dubiously; anything Bakura liked religiously…was something that was either a) illegal, b) labeled as DANGEROUS on the CIA reports or c) just plain health hazardous to her life. But by Jove, she needed something to calm her down!

Nina had never had a drop of alcohol in her life (except once on her 16th birthday…but she was still clearing her prison record on that; she didn't know that it was a guy, she swore! And those marijuana trees really DID look like palm trees…so that didn't count…except that Bakura still laughed hysterically whenever that was mentioned, but still!) So it was with trepidation that she took a hesitant sip of the highly alcoholic drink. Her mouth tingled unpleasantly at the bitter taste, but in the name of sanity, she took another sip. Not bad; she took another…wheeeeeeee, the room was spinning and saying hello to her. "Hiya, room!" she said to it. She even waved politely back to it.

She had no idea why Bakura said she had zero alcohol tolerance.

By the time Bakura came out of the bathroom, showered and dressed in a tuxedo (a/n: drool), that 'one little sip to calm down my nerves' had turned into exactly six beer bottles with Nina happily chugging down her seventh, while she hummed 'I'm too Sexy'.

Nina was definitely in Lala land.

"_I'm too sexy for my shirt,"_ she sang loudly while Bakura came through, starting to lift up the hem of her dress-

"GOOD GOD, WOMAN! ARE YOU MAD?" Bakura yelled, eyes popping out of his head, as he hurriedly pulled the dress down.

"'Course not," Nina slurred, "Sing with me 'Kura! _I'm on the catwalk, yeah!_…"

Bakura eyes switched back from the half-empty beer bottle of HIS beer to Nina's tipsy singing of "I'm too Sexy" to the letter near Nina's hand which read, "We regret to inform you that we have misplaced your artworks…in Tokyo, Japan…"

Suffice to say, you didn't need Scooby Doo to solve this mystery. So Bakura did what any normal Yami did…

"Nina, first let go of the drink…I said LET GO, gimme it!" Bakura said, wrenching the bottle away from his drunk hikari girl. He then peered at her disheveled appearance as she strutted down her imaginary runway still proclaiming her sexiness in her _"I'm too sexy for youuuuuu!" _

Meh, she'd be fine.

"Of course you are, Nina" Bakura said calmly, steering the tipsy girl towards the door, "Now, let's just get through this night; You're a guest of honor for Carla so you have to show up. Just don't speak, don't look anyone in the eye, and for Ra's sake, DO NOT SING!"

"'Kay," Nina hiccupped with a thumbs up sign, leaving the pile of empty beer bottle unnoticed by her Yami. Bakura reasoned that it had only been one drink, right?

How much could happen with just a bit of alcohol?

* * *

Extra, extra! Read all about it! DRUNK GIRL SEXUALLY HARRASSES AND VOMITS ON PRESIDENT!  
DO WE HAVE ANOTHER MONICA?  
GIRLS GO WILD AT SURPRISE PRESIDENTIAL APPEARANCE!  
'I'M TOO SEXY' GOES OFF THE CHARTS THIS WEEK! 

Nina had had an, ahem, interesting night.

So interesting in fact, that she was going to shoot herself as soon as she found where Bakura had hidden the gun…

"Sexually harass! All I did was ask the President to sing 'I'm too Sexy with me'!" Nina said, indignant before clutching her head in pain; she had a massive hangover.

"Perhaps your memory is a bit foggy, my dear little idiot. I seem to recall it being more like you flashing the American leader while you tried to get him to 'go on the catwalk' with you. And then you threw up on him." Bakura said calmly. Really, he was taking this in stride. Or maybe it was just because he had already spent all his laughter the day before, laughing uproariously at Nina's predicament (he had had the joy of telling the President exactly where in Nina's childhood she had gone wrong and how susceptible she was to alcohol: see sixteenth birthday.) As he saw his interview on NBC, he reckoned he had summed it all up in his cheerful, "Well, I guess it started when she started having this far-fetched notion of having a second self…Yes, yes, she was always a bit off the rocker, but bless her soul, she sounds so cute when she refers to herself in the third person…"

'Bless his heart for being such a good Yami,' thought Nina as she sought the butter knife; it would have to do in the absence of the gun.

"When they started cheering for him, I guess I got a bit out of hand…" Nina said, blushing, trying to defend herself. Bakura delicately raised an eyebrow. He flipped the channel to every station showing Nina's actions of 'wardrobe malfunction' over and over again…It was the Janet Jackson Superbowl Part II to say the least. "CNN and NBC just called wanting an interview, of the 'Girl gone wild'." Bakura said mildly. "Oh yeah, and Playboy called; they want you to be on the cover of their next issue." Nina's blush intensified.

"Oh, and the best part is," Bakura said with a chuckle, "I got a phone call from the President asking if you'd like to come over to the White House anytime…" Bakura waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"That. Is. **_It._** I will _never_ drink again," Nina resolved, blushing beet red. She went over to the sink and proceeded to dump out every beer bottle she could find.

Well, almost every one.

Bakura kept the last one in his hand, smirking mischievously: _There was still Valentine's Day after all…_

Fin

* * *

And that is why you shouldn't drink and go to presidential parties. They just don't mix. I hope you liked that random fic that has nothing to do with the story; it's just for entertainment (hey, I thought it was cute)! Try to keep in mind the huge betrayal Yami did to Carla for next chapter!

PLEASE REVIEW!

Starlet36


	12. La Tortura Perderte

Thanks for the reviews! Yay, it's summer!  
Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! of the song  
In the beginning half (yes, this is really long), I use the song La Tortura by Shakira featuring Alejandro. So some parts she sings and some part he sings. I provided English translations, but in my opinion, the song sounds a lot better in Spanish.  
Sorry if I drabble throughout this chappie…  
Oh yes, almost forgot, La tortura means 'the torture' in Spanish. 'La tortura perderte' means the torture to lose you.

I really didn't mean for it to be this long…I just didn't know where to end...X.X

R&R!

* * *

"A damned saint! An honorable villain!  
...Was ever a book containing such vile matter  
So fairly bound? O, that deceit should dwell  
In such a gorgeous palace!"

Juliet in _Romeo and Juliet_

* * *

_¡Ay payita mía  
Guárdate la poesía  
Guárdate la alegría pa'ti!_

Oh my querida,  
Guard your poetry,  
Keep all your happiness for yourself!

* * *

Nothing.

That was what she was. That was what she felt. That was what she meant to him.

Carla stood there on the beach, her head hanging down; her hair cascading down, hiding her, futilely trying to shield her from pain. Her mind was blank…all she knew right now was that she felt so…empty. Alone. Betrayed.

Meanwhile, Yami looked at her, after they had all come out of the memory, feeling extremely guilty. And fearful for his life.

He expected her to come flying at him with an ax, her eyes wild with rage as she cut Yami up slowly…His alternative guess was the shotgun-hunting-Wami theory.

But what he got was worse. Much worse.

* * *

_No pido que todos los días sean de sol  
No pido que todos los viernes sean de fiesta  
Tampoco te pido que vuelvas rogando perdón  
Si lloras con los ojos secos  
Y hablando de ella!_

I don't ask for every day to be sunny  
I don't ask for every Friday to be a holiday  
Nor do I ask you to come back begging for forgiveness  
If you cry with dry eyes  
and come talking about her!

* * *

"Carla?" Yami asked worriedly at the still form that was a couple of feet away from him. Carla's head fell limp on her head as if it was too heavy to support her while her face was cast eerily in a shadow. All three teenagers looked at her, counting down the seconds to Yami's shotgun-hunting-Wami (I think a taw a wittle Wami wabbit! BAM!) destruction…

Carla slowly raised her head as if the effort was hurting her. She stared at the one who had said 'Carla' with blank, dull eyes. Carla? Who was she? Oh, yes, herself. The girl who had been stupid to believe an equally stupid boy's promises.

* * *

_Ay amor me duele tanto… _

Oh my love, it hurts me so much…

* * *

"What?" she asked softly with no emotion in her voice, in blank recognition. In defeat.

And that was what made Yami long for the anger, the attempted murder, something! _Something to prove she was still his Carla…_

The intelligent, bright light in her eyes that made them sparkle with life…was gone.

"I-I-" Yami started out, unsure how to word his overwhelming guilt, sorrow, and worry. Nina and Bakura stood in the sidelines, silent, as they watched the inevitable defeat like a tennis match. "Carla, I'm just so- I never meant- It's just that she was-"

(Thwack! The tennis ball was headed towards Yami –watch out!)

Carla watched Yami suffer with blank eyes. All she could think of right now was that one damn line of, _"You're the only one I could ever love…"_ echoing her mind.

* * *

_Me duele tanto  
Que te fueras sin decir a donde!  
Ay amor, fue una tortura perderte!_

It hurts so much  
That you left without saying where!  
Oh my love, losing you was torture!

* * *

"Carla, please talk to me!" Yami said desperately, hoping to snap Carla out of this. But Carla really did not care what Yami wanted her to do right now after he had broken her heart…

_Marriage. He is MARRIED. He could have had s-_

"Did you Do It with her Yami?" she asked icily, as she spoke for the first time since the Incident. Her eyes were horribly blank as her monotone voice called to the pharaoh with undertones of undeniable disgust and if you looked hard enough: anguish. She was nothing to him…

What the heck was Doing I-?

_Ohhhh_…All three teenagers blushed in varying degrees, but Yami took the prize.

(Yami was panicking! The leering green ball was looming closer! He was fumbling and-)

And he chose to tell the truth.

Stupid.

He blushed furiously as he honestly replied (with Bakura plugging Nina's ears just in case), "I don't know. I-I don't remember. I'm so sorry Carla I-"

Wrong answer.

BAM! Wami was down. And as for that that tennis ball metaphor? Well, Nina and Bakura could both clearly see the ball smacking his head and knocking a clueless Yami unconscious…Bruuiiiisssee.

You see what you get for telling the truth?

* * *

_Yo se que no he sido un santo  
Pero lo puedo arreglar amor_

I know I haven't been a saint  
But I can fix that, my love

* * *

Anger.

Suddenly, Carla had reached past 1st stage of her cheated, brokenhearted state: self-pity. 2nd stage was uncontrollable, raw anger. _If he broke her heart, she would break **him**…_

"Save your guilt for Zahara," Carla said bitterly stepping away from Yami as she looked down at the ground. "How does it feel to cheat, Pharaoh? How many times did you have to whisper fake 'I love yous' to make that whore fall in love with you? Why did you have to manipulate me into your sick game! IF YOUR GOAL WAS TO BREAK MY STUPID HEART AND STOMP ON IT TO PIECES, then _CONGRAGULATIONS_!" Carla's voice raised to a hysterical pitch as she yelled as hard as she could. She took her first step towards Yami as she shook uncontrollably, bitter tears filling her hurt eyes. **"GODAMMIT, YOU HAVE WON!" **

/Carla, please…I'm so sorry I hurt you and I'll-/

_Slam._ Carla cut off the link by slamming her soul door as hard as she could in Yami's mental state. Yami changed tactics.

"Hit me as hard as you can, Carla, if it'll make you feel better," Yami said to his volatile, inconsolable hikari girl. He opened his arms, completely vulnerable, and ensuring that one of Carla's famous knuckle punches…would really, really hurt.

Carla even clenched her delicate hand into fists as she gave a small growl…She let her fist fly to Yami's gut while a tense Yami waited for impact. It was about to send Yami reeling with just one more second…before she let it all go in one deep, shuddering breath just an inch away from Yami's stomach. Carla lowered her fist and looked at Yami in disgust, murmuring softly,

"You're not worth it,"

Ouch. Yami winced.

"Carla, please, forgive me for any wrong I might have done to you," Yami pleaded with his piercing, garnet red eyes, begging quietly for forgiveness. Aw, such cute puppy-dog eyes…who could resist 'em?

"Why should I?" Carla asked acidly. Apparently, she was immune to the all-powerful puppy-eyes. Her deep mahogany eyes unreadable, muddled by hurt, rage, self-pity, and above all sorrow. Sorrow for losing the damn bloody bastard she had loved.

"Because," Yami said softly, his voice full of emotion. He took a step closer to Carla, wishing more than ever he could erase all the pain he had caused her. She had asked for nothing, and he had taken advantage of it…he'd forgotten his past, risked everything, all because…"Because I love you,"

This proclamation did not have its desired effect.

Lies! _Mentiras!_ "Liar! You don't love me Pharaoh; you never loved me. You love your _wife _Zahara," Carla choked out the words as if it were a torture to say it. They probably were, Yami thought sadly. The great Pharaoh of Egypt had never felt more useless, lower than scum, lower than even Bakura (gasp) than in that moment. It was his fault…he had fallen prey to fatal seduction. A Wami rabbit after all was no match for the conniving gray-eyed vixen…-_chomp_- you see?

"I'm so sorry Carla! How was I to know I would meet the girl of my dreams 5,000 years later?" Yami said desperately. He could feel her slipping from him like a fish in the river. Caught for a moment and then in a slippery escape, gone forever. "As soon as I remembered I should've told you…it was all just a stupid mistake,"

Stupid Yami. Possibly the worst word choice EVER. Right above President Clinton's whole 'I did not have sexual relations with that woman…'

He just sealed his fate. Carla the fish had slipped through his fingers with an angry splash and had brought back 'her little friend.' The piranhas. And Yami the guppie was…well, -_crunch munch- _you get where I'm going. (a/n: I use a lot of metaphors, don't I?)

She. Had. Cracked.

"_MISTAKE!"_ Carla roared, her temper lashing out at last. "A mistake is forgetting to return the movies at blockbuster! A mistake is forgetting to feed your goldfish! A mistake is using your neon red lip gloss unwittingly because it looked normal in the tube! WHAT YOU DID WAS NO MISTAKE, PHARAOH!"

* * *

_No solo de pan vive el hombre  
Y no de excusas vivo yo._

Man doesn't live on bread alone  
And nor do I live on excuses.

* * *

Tears slid down Carla's cheek as she gave out ragged breaths. Her lip trembled and her throat burned…and she hated that. She hated knowing that Yami had won. She had effectively fallen in love with him, and had been most effectively dumped.

And that well, uh, sucked.

And having a sucky day can lead to some evil ideas entering your one-innocent mind. So was the case with Carla Sanchez. Yami: (over a lava pit with a wardrobe of leather already melting in it…with a helium-squeaky voice) Help me Carla! Please forgive me! Noooo, not the leather! I promise it was all a mis-

_Snap_. And that would be when Carla cut loose Yami's chains…Carla smirked at the scenario.

But then her good side in a last-ditch effort to save her, reminded her of an instilled concept that any child of a devout Christian family would have drilled into their heads:

WWJD?

What Would Jesus Do?

_Forgive us for our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us…_That was what Jesus taught in his 'Our Father' prayer…

* * *

_Solo de errores se aprende  
Y hoy se que es tuyo mi corazón_

We only learn from our mistakes,  
And today I know my heart is yours

* * *

So she gave Yami one last chance.

"Do you love her?" she asked softly. Liquid brown pools of light to rival an innocent doe's looked at guilty, hard crimson ruby ones. Hope flickered for a moment across those beautiful brown eyes.

"She's been dead for over 5,000 years! Zahara's a part of the pas-" Yami started out, fumbling. What was she getting at? He reached out to caress her cheek, but he only brushed air as Carla turned away. And then surprisingly she took a step forward until she was practically touching noses (okay, Yami had to lean a bit down but that's not the point!). The picture sent two messages: either Carla was going to make out with Yami in a startling 'I forgive you!' Hollywood-worthy make up…or Carla might bite Yami's nose off. I think we all know which choice it would be…unfortunately, Nina did not…the poor fool.

( "Maybe, they'll kiss and make up!" Nina exclaimed happily, the optimist with starry-eyes.

"Yeah, and maybe Yami will stop using hair gel and you'll be a Playboy bunny," Bakura retorted sarcastically. "Though, you being blonde would save me having to make up excuses for your stupidity,"

'Not like you do,' thought Nina dryly before regaining her starry-eyes. "Look she's leaning closer! It'll be like the movies!" she squealed.

Bakura looked at her with his jaw dropping, "Are you really that stupid?"

"Of course not," she said annoyed. "Just because I thought Playboy was an educational magazine for boys to learn about recreational activities, I really _did_ think they took gullible out of the dictionary…And why do they put CONCENTRATE on orange juice if they don't want you to c- Hey, stop laughing Bakura! Anyone can make that sort of mistake!")

"No, you're not answering the question Pharaoh," Carla said coldly and Yami could tell he was treading on thin ice. "It doesn't matter if she's been dead for over 5,000 years…" Carla let her hand run up Yami's cheek, searching for the truth in his eyes as she gazed into them. "Imagine if she appeared right now. This moment." She stared at him as her voice lost all of its iciness, its manipulability…She was herself behind the façade she had put up: Vulnerable.

Her voice was at its softest as she asked Yami, almost in a plea, "Do you love Zahara?"

And that was when Carla's heart gave up, and turned to ice.

Because Yami couldn't answer.

"I-I-" he stuttered, caught off guard. His eyes were confused; he didn't know…

And thus Carla turned to the second part of the scriptures in the Bible: screw forgiveness! _An eye for an eye_…her heart for his heart!

So she did exactly what Jesus would do.

**_POW._**

"**GO TO HELL, YOU BASTARD!"** she bellowed as she sucker-punched him directly in his lower stomach. And then as she could see that her punch wasn't having as lasting an effect as she would have liked…she decided to crush his beaten heart just like he had done to hers…

First she aimed her leg lower and gave it all she got…OW. Yami's eligibility to have children just decreased. Significantly.

"HOLY SHI-" he yelled as he slumped to the ground.

She broke the silver necklace aligned with rubies and diamonds Yami had gotten her and threw it on the prone figure of the wincing Pharaoh.

"Wash your mouth, and you can keep your necklace…It just represents another promise you can't keep," Carla said in her coldest, most chilling voice as the beautiful light in her eyes were gone…replaced by hate.

"But Carla I-" Yami said as he held the necklace knowing that they're gaga perfect relationship was going horribly, horribly wrong.

"IT'S OVER!" Carla said through gritted teeth, tears filling her betrayed eyes. Before Yami could cut in, she retorted scathingly, "GET IT THORUGH YOUR HEAD, NUMBSKULL! WE. ARE. THROUGH."

* * *

_Mejor te guardas todo eso  
A otro perro con ese hueso  
Y nos decimos adios…_

You better save all of that!  
Go to another dog with that bone,  
And let's just say goodbye…

* * *

She had wanted to run off in a fiery blaze of passion. Like in those Spanish soap operas.

You know, leaving the guy crying after her, "No, Maria! I cannot live without you! Do not gooooo!"

Very melodramatic and all. Carla was a sucker for dramatics.

Instead, Carla realized that if you are in a truly storming off from your ex 'in a fiery blaze of passion'…it's not something that you want seen on public cable.

First off, you can't see where you're going because stinging tears that you try to keep from slipping, blind you.

Second, you're not looking too great with your red-rimmed eyes, snot dripping, and over-all depressing appearance.

Third, your running off isn't all that graceful either due to the first reason. Also, this could account because you just had your heart broken, and you don't really give a damn as to where you're going as long as you're far, _far_ away from the bastard who broke it.

Most importantly fourth, you're torn from beating said bastard up, or having an uncontrollable urge to run…Run far away, and forget everything about him. Carla chose to do the latter.

* * *

_No puedo pedir que el invierno perdone a un rosal,  
No puedo pedir a los olmos que entreguen peras,  
No puedo pedirle lo eterno a un simple mortal,  
Y andar arrojando a los cerdos miles de perlas._

I can't ask for winter to pardon a rose,  
I can't ask elm trees to give you pears,  
I can't ask a simple mortal to give me eternity,  
And go around throwing thousands of pearls to pigs.

* * *

But perhaps there was a fourth reason that no one ever talks about…because it made you feel like a dog. Not the cool ones like Lassie either. No, likea begging one.

Because a part of Carla _wanted_ to believe she was wrong and run back into Yami's arms.

A part of her still loved Yami despite his obvious lies to her.

And that made her feel like a dog begging for a bone. So that was the main reason she ran off; she couldn't be his 'other woman'.

But by Jove, she would miss those buffed, hard abs and those muscular, lean arms he would wrap around her…STOP. _She had to stop thinking about the two-timer!_

She had to ignore his tempting promises.

"Carla, please!" Yami yelled after her as he staggered upright. "I promise I won't ever keep something from you again," he said as he followed her.

"Yeah, until you see another slut you want to marry," Carla muttered. She glared at the Millennium Puzzle around her neck.

* * *

_Ay amor me duele tanto  
Me duele tanto…  
Que no creas más en mis promesas  
Ay amor es una tortura perderte _

Oh my love, it hurts so much  
It hurts so much…  
That you no longer trust my promises  
Oh my love, losing youis atorture!

* * *

Nonetheless, she couldn't bear to chuck it in Yami's face for a reason she couldn't fathom. (Or maybe it was super-glued to her…same diff.)

_That was the one promise she couldn't bear to have broken. _Dammit, she was going soft and mushy. Damn love.

So caught up in her eloquent descriptions of love (which was a real mother- let me tell you) that she didn't notice what she ran into.

Oof.

Most would define the specimen as _homo sapiens,_ human being. More technically defined as male. If you were into the gritty details, it would be obvious that said male had firm, working muscles throughout his body, had thick hair in the color of blonde, and had penetrating blue irises lined with thick eyelashes. Or if the above description was lost on you…he was hot. Like Surfer-Ken-from-Barbie hot.

Normally, a taken Carla would've made a quick apology and to quote from her rather colorful language 'run the hell away as if a pack of mad dogs were after me' due to the over-protective boyfriend factor.

But a recently single Carla on a vendetta against her cheating boyfriend, Yami…had an entirely different reaction.

"Oh, hey, Charlie," Carla said, looking up, flashing her best smile (a disgruntled Yami thought it looked faker than Pamela Anderson's b-) "I'm sorry I bumped into you," she told her the new, shy barn hand at Orangeville's stable with a worried frown.

"No prob," Charlie smiled handsomely down at the petite girl. "Hey, Carla. Here for spring break, I see- But hey, are you alright? You look as though you've been crying." He asked concerned. Carla's smile faltered for a moment, remembering an ex-Pharaoh kissing passionately his risqué…_fiancé_.

Okay, she admitted it; she sniffled. But just for a moment.

"Me, crying? Never." Carla said, with her mega-watt smile back on. Yami growled softly.

"Who's your friend, Carla?" asked the blonde Charlie, pointing at starfish-haired Yami who was glaring daggers at him.

"Him?" Carla said. She then looked directly at Yami as she said tartly, "Oh, he's nobody, Charlie. Nobody at all."

"Oh," was Charlie's response to the obvious friction between the two (laser beam: Glare. Zap. Glare.). He quickly decided that a change in topic was needed ASAP. "So…I brought Diablo and Buttercup back if you want to tack them back up again," Charlie motioned to the two horses he led behind him, that Carla had not yet notice due to Charlie's hotness and ex-boyfriend memories.

"But Diablo's still a bit antsy so-" Charlie stated before being interrupted by Carla.

"Charlie, that is SO sweet of you!" she cooed with as much exaggeration as humanely possible. She couldn't resist smirking inwardly at the fact that a disgusted Yami looked prepared to shoot Charlie.

_How does it feel now, Pharaoh?_

"No really it was nothing-" Two spots of color had appeared on modest Charlie's cheeks.

"Nonsense!" Carla gushed happily as she flung her arms around her new boy toy. "To do something nice for a little 'ol me…" She made sure she purred the next part loud enough for Yami's ears, "Deserves a reward."

By Yami's clenching of his fists as he muttered obscenities…one can rest assured that he heard alright. /You have gone too far, hikari/

_No,_ she told Yami through their re-opened link, _Not far enough._

And then she kissed a bewildered Charlie on the cheek as she trailed her hand up his face. Like she used to do with Yami.

_There. Now, that's enough. _She said to Yami as she turned her eyes slowly away from Charlie to see his reaction. He looked stunned, hurt, and angry…just as she was now with him. She smirked in satisfaction ignoring her screaming sanity telling her that she had stooped to his level.

One factor though still remained that Carla hadn't reckoned with: sheer stupidity. Yami still possessed no tact, and was thus still incredibly susceptible to do some pretty dumb things.

One would be nearly socking pretty boy Charlie in the jaw…Dammit, he dodged.

Another would be feeling the need to put his two cents in the whole 'Carla's vendetta' matter. And sometimes what came from that royal mouth was not all that intelligent.

Shocker, I know.

"I get it Carla. We're even. You win this game." He remarked off-handedly. "Please, just don't go." He would instantly regret his words.

* * *

_No te bajes, no te bajes  
Oye negrita mira, no te rajes_

Don't you go now, Don't you go now  
Listen, baby, don't be angry!

* * *

You know, maybe he really _is_ that stupid. Or perhaps it was desperation.

Heck, it didn't matter. They both didn't work.

"No, you stupid man, we can never be 'even'. I think you never telling me you were MARRIED far outweighs me kissing Charlie on the cheek. At least, Charlie here has a _soul_. Love is not a GAME, you idiot! You can't start it over! You can't simply sacrifice a pawn! YOU CAN'T ACT LIKE THIS WAS NOTHING! LIKE IT'LL BLOW OVER EVENTUALLY! **BECAUSE LIFE DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY!**" Carla yelled as she snapped. She hopped on Diablo with the ease only an expert horsewoman holds as she grasped the reins firmly. By the hate reflected in her blazing eyes, everyone knew she wasn't coming back.

"Mr. Yami, stop her!" Nina pleaded to the stunned Pharaoh. "That horse is dangerous! And because of you, I don't think she's coming back!"

I think Carla muttering a word that rhymed with buck in relation to said Pharaoh confirmed that fact.

Diablo could care less in the affairs of humans; all he knew right now that his granola bar girl had just leapt on him without warning…and he didn't like it.

So he bucked furiously, demonically as his namesake was, until he realized that the granola bar girl would always stick to him (she's a good rider). He could feel anger radiating from her once-soothing lithe frame…and being a hot-blooded stallion, it fueled him.

As one with the granola girl, Diablo reared into the air, to his maximum height, as he screamed his challenge to the air.

To a frightened Nina, who hid behind Bakura (much to his disgust), it seemed to be an unearthly roar…any minute now the gates to Hell would open up and this demonic monster would lead the way. (Yes, she had seen a lot of horror films due to her older brother…but that wasn't the point! That horse was mad!)

No one could have guessed that what Diablo was really saying was: _WHO GOT MY GRANOLA BAR GIRL ANGRY, DAMMIT!_

You can tell that he really wanted a granola bar.

"Carla, no don't leave like this; you could get hurt!" Yami cried.

"It's too late for that!" Carla yelled from atop the rearing thoroughbred stallion. "And you know, I feel a hundred times safer upon Diablo than I ever did with you," she said, her chilling voice cutting through the air.

"Carla, I love you. I see the error of my ways! Get down from there, and we can deal with this together!" Yami said, desperation leaking into his once-haughty, proud voice. He didn't know what he would do without that little hikari, both outgoing and brave, constantly being the happy thorn in his life. The great Pharaoh who had existed for five millennia (dubbed version),sacrificing himself for his nationand letting go of a great hikari…just couldn't give this one girl up. Because he well -Radamnit did he have to say the wussy thing, oh fine- he _needed_ her.

* * *

_De lunes a viernes tienes mi amor  
Déjame el sábado a mi que es mejor  
Oye mi negra no me castigues más!  
Porque allá afuera sin ti no tengo paz  
Yo solo soy un hombre arrepentido;  
Soy como el ave que vuelve a su nido!_

From Monday to Friday you have my love  
Give Saturday to me and you'll be better off  
Listen baby, don't punish me anymore!  
Without you, out there I have no peace  
I'm just a repentant man;  
I'm the bird that returns to its nest!

(my favorite part to listen to other than the 'la tortura perderte' line)

* * *

"It was our destiny to be together," Yami said softly, ended the love tirade on a spiritual unified note.

Carla did not answer as poetically. "Yeah, well what half-assed fortune teller told you that load of bullcrap?" she asked as Diablo kicked his hooves in the front as he pawed the air. She seemed oblivious to the fact that if Diablo went back a fraction more, she would be sent crashing backwards to the hard earth. Instead she resolutely grabbed a chunk of Diablo's black mane while her legs were secured around his middle.

She continued, "I have control over my destiny, and henceforth Pharaoh, it will have nothing to do with you!" Diablo's beautiful and deadly dance ended as he landed hard on the ground. For a single moment, Carla's eyes locked with Yami's, as hikari and Yami felt a pang of loss jolt through them. It almost seemed as if there was still hope.

Were those tears?

* * *

_Ay ay ay  
Ay, todo lo que he hecho por ti  
Fue una tortura perderte  
Y me duele tanto que sea asi _

Oh, oh, oh  
Oh, after all I've done for you  
It was a torture to lose you  
It hurts me so that it had to end this way

* * *

Carla blinked away irritation; dammit, the sun was too bright.

She turned her head away and spurred Diablo to a gallop, away from the Pharaoh.

But not before she gave her former boyfriend, Pharaoh Atem of Egypt, an honorary salute in tribute of all the good times they had shared…Guess which finger she used?

She cleared a three foot log fence with an intensity that could only be described as to the equivalent of 'running the hell away as if a pack of mad dogs' were after her. Only more angrily.

"Love's a bitch, ain't it?" she muttered softly to the horse as she disappeared into the forest, a figure lost to the darkness.

* * *

_Sigue llorando perdón  
Yo... yo no voy  
A llorar por ti._

Keep on crying for forgiveness  
I…I'm not going  
To cry for you.

* * *

Newton's Third Law of Motion:

For every action there must be an equal and opposite reaction, or consequence.

Today, we can apply this concept to Carla-breaking-up-with-Yami-and-running-off-on-a-wild-stallion episode.

Carla broke up with Yami and fled on the granola-fond horse named Diablo. That was the action. Simple enough, eh?

But even Sir Isaac Newton would be baffled by the amount of utterly different reactions it triggered:

* * *

**Ra:** Nooooooooo! Breaking up Yami and Carla is like breaking up Ken and Barbie: it shouldn't be done!

**Hades:** You _do_ know that the company broke those little plastic dolls you play with Ra, this year? Anyways, Ra, you should really worry about her fateline, not her lovelife- Great Gods, are you crying!

**Ra:** (sob) Not my beautiful Ken! I was going to have him move into the Dreamhouse today with Barbie! Nooooooooooo!

**Hades:** (looking up at sky, praying) Oh, Great God…Have mercy on me and please shoot me.

* * *

Others weren't so grief-stricken…

"_YES!"_ yelled the female villain as she pumped her fist in the air and forced her partner into a conga dance. "The bitch- cha cha cha cha cha _cha_! –is gone!– cha cha cha cha cha _cha_!" Even when her male partner, who seemed to be lacking in the enthusiasm department, shoved her roughly away from their observing cloud, she still did not let up in her victory dance.

Instead she proceeded to do something that her partner would later reflect was even more creepy than the bizarre football-victory/conga dance of victory: rolling around the clouds, with what the man was sure was drool coming down her mouth.

"Yami is mine! Mine! All mine! Forever and ever and ever…" she continued in bliss.She sighed though and considered the horrendous act she had done...Maybe, she did have a conscious...But then she smirked evilly and cackled, "I can't believe the bitch fell for it! By Ra, manipulating memories is so easy!"It looked like she was about to lock lips with a cloud in her happiness…when the evil man thankfully interrupted.

"Though it's nice to see the Pharaoh suffer…when the hell am I gonna kill the other bitch?" he asked oh-so-politely.

"Eh? Anytime, whatever…just try to make it seem accidental and leave me be," the evil seductress said distractedly as she shooed the man away from her Yami-Is-Mine-Forever acts. As soon as the man left however, she got out her walkie talkie to proceed to phase two

"Will do." answered the man on the other side of the cloud, as he got out his trusty ax. Then remembering he had to make it accidental, he switched to his butter knife he kept for meals.

No one would ever suspect a butter knife related death, right?

* * *

"You know, 350 murders a year are butter knife related," Charlie commented randomly, hoping to start a new topic. Alas, this time it did not work.

"Who the heck, cares, boy?" asked an exasperated, frustrated Yami.

"I care. Go on, Charlie," Nina consoled the confused boy as she patted him on the back. She would give Carla five minutes to herself before she went after her. When Yami looked at her, seeking an ally, she sadly shook her head at him, in the way one does to a naughty toddler in need of a timeout.

Bakura stood off to the side, looking off into the sea, seemingly oblivious to the "episode" that had just occurred. Yami swallowed down his pride and his intense hate towards the thief, as he asked innocently, "So Bakura, do you agree with me-?"

"You. Are. An. _Asshole_." Bakura said in a monotone voice as he turned to face the Pharaoh. Nina and Yami both raised their eyebrows.

"What did I do that was so wrong, I mean-" the Pharaoh asked, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he was technically hitched.

"I'm sorry," Bakura said, surprising all teenagers. Maybe he _did_ actually agree with Yami (gasp)…"Allow me to correct myself. You are an _asswipe_."

Uh, nope.

"How could you not remember that you were engaged? Are you truly that brainless? I even knew about your wedding! (I should know, I was planning on crashing it by stuffing a frog down the bride's dress and by shaving your head bald…tee hee)" Bakura said quietly but his eyes flashed for a moment before returning to their normal I-so-not-care state.

"Err…I'll just go and check up on Carla," Nina said, interrupting the glaring contest going on between the two Yamis. "Bye Charlie," she said, ignoring the other two Yamis (a/n: she's still nervous around Bakura and she's mad at Yami for obvious reasons)

Before Charlie could even reply, Yami cut in, "Nina, not meaning to be rude, but I think _I_ should be the one to confront her-"

"No, Mr. Yami, I believe Carla made it clear she wants nothing to do with you." She said calmly, but with hints of coolness in her voice, "In fact, all you are good for at the moment is of further proving that no guy is worth crying over,"

Yami felt rather alone; even the push-over Nina was against him. If he wasn't so manly he might've sniffled in self-pity…And just to his credit there is a huge difference between sniffling and whimpering. (Hey, it wasn't even a whimper…more like a cough- yeah a cough! Totally believable...Not.)

"Why am I proof that no guy is worth crying over tho-?" Yami asked, utterly clueless to the fact that he just made himself open to an attack- which Nina gladly made.

"Why? Because if you had truly loved her Mr. Yami, then why'd you make her cry?" she told Yami softly, prepared to leave in a dramatic huff- until she felt a familiar pale arm clasp onto her wrist.

"Bakura… Let. Me. Go." Nina said calmly, feeling fear tug her heart and irritation seep its way through her bubbly self. "…_Now_." She growled, not so bubbly.

"Oh, come on now, don't be a party pooper!" Bakura said teasingly, "I know you want me," Oh, how he loved annoying her!

"Not even in your dreams, Bakura!" Nina said angrily as she tried to wrench herself away to no avail. She was hoping her anger would conceal the desperate fear in her voice. A normal man wouldn't have detected it, but Bakura, as we all know, was not a normal man. (**Ra:** He was a male nurse in disguise, tee hee!)

"You're scared, aren't you?" Bakura said with a quiet chuckle. "As I've said before, you are a horrible liar, brat."

Even his goading could not coax an answer from Nina, who was determined not to look at him. She focused on his pale feet instead. This little pig went to market, and went wah wah wah…

"Admiring my feet, little brat?" Bakura said softly, interrupting Nina's feet song, with a smirk. And then his tone became serious. "Afraid to meet my eyes. Afraid to face me, admit it you're-"

"Well, why shouldn't I be, after what you did?" Nina finally answered, in defeat to Bakura's feet. Yami looked as if he was about to stop this conversation, but Bakura's small headshake stopped him. That and those spokes on the Millennium Ring looked mighty sharp to a Millennium-Item-less Pharaoh. Charlie merely stood off to the side, observing the two with stormy blue eyes. One would almost say they were scheming…

"Would you be so kind as to stop having a conversation with my feet?" Bakura asked, annoyed. Before Nina could answer, her Yami had tilted her head up forcefully with his hand. Bakura started whispering in his harsh voice softly enough that the two observers would not be able to hear what was being said. "You say that you are scared of your father's demon inside _me_?" Nina nodded her head slightly in reluctant agreement, frowning at Bakura.

"But both of us know better," Bakura said pulling his unwilling hikari until they were almost touching, and a confused Nina could feel his warm breath on her face. She tried to recoil away from Bakura, but he just tightened his new grip on her shoulders.

"No, you are truly afraid that that demon may be inside…_you_."

And then Bakura put the Millennium Ring on her neck and shoved her away as if nothing had happened. Nina looked at him with fearfully pale blue eyes as she touched the Ring warily with clammy, sweaty palms.

She was scared you-know-what-less. Because that supposedly mad tomb robber she had for a Yami, who enjoyed tormenting Gods, and didn't know a thing about social skills…he had figured it out.

"Use the Ring to find Carla," he said shortly to Nina while she scrambled as she ran the hell away as if- and pardon me if this saying is becoming clichéd- as if a pack a mad dogs were after her. Only this time, however much she tried to convince her brain, that she was running from that foul, dangerous tomb robber…she couldn't deny the truth. She wasn't running from a pack of mad dogs or Bakura…She was running…from herself.

Too bad that's impossible.

* * *

Carla had managed to keep Diablo at a gallop for approximately a mile before she came to a halt beside an old oak tree in front of a trickling stream.

Now, don't get the impression that Carla had actually _wanted_ to stop. Oh no, Carla would've been fine if they had continued galloping away from a certain Pharaoh for the rest of eternity. But a tired horse finally unseating its distracted rider into the stream had seen to it that Carla be made to stop.

And Carla had certainly been stopped.

"Ewww," she said, spitting out the stream water and sand she had swallowed in her less-than-graceful landing. "Aw, man, now my pack is ruined too. Indeed, the girth strap had not been tightened at all, and it had only taken a light buck to send her, the saddle, and her pack with all of its contents, flying. If Carla had not been so sidetracked by the whole boyfriend-being-married scandal, she might've thought it was all to convenient…almost as if it had been planned…

* * *

Somewhere in the sky a feminine voice, hardened by evil, said almost gleefully, as she heard a satisfying crash into the water, "One bitch down, one bitch to go," 

But what she hadn't counted on was Aunt Marie.

* * *

"Dammit, my butt's sore, I've been dating a married man, and- _I do not have granola bars, Diablo so stop nudging me!_" Carla said, frustrated. Diablo immediately backed away, taken aback from the usual coos of his granola bar girl. She immediately felt guilty and grabbed an apple she had been saving. "Here, Diablo. Thanks for getting me away from him- Yuck! Don't squirt the juice on me!"

Carla wiped the apple gunk away from her face and set to fixing her pack. She found every one of her items except the pouch with the sugar. Normally, losing an Aunt-Marie package would fill her with joy, but today, she wanted something sweet, no matter how dangerous its origin, to wash out the bitter taste of loss in her mouth.

Perhaps, the Gods were feeling bad for the girl…or more like Fate was feeling particularly devious…because Carla got her wish. In a way.

"Ah, there it is," Carla said, spotting the blue pouch hidden in the grass beside the large oak tree. She was about to stuff her face with sugar when she heard a weary yet familiar voice behind her, "You better save me some…I need some after all I went through to find you," Half thinking it was Yami, Carla whipped around, determined to kill that no-good basta- "Oh, it's you Nina," she said, half-disappointed.

"Contain your enthusiasm," Nina said sarcastically while she got some twigs out of her tangled hair. Suddenly noticing Nina's harassed state, Carla piped up, "Oi! What happened to you, it looks like you've been attacked by a pack of wolves!"

"You have no idea," Nina said wearily.

* * *

**Flashback, 10 minutes ago  
**

"Stupid Ring, why does it have to pull so har- Agh!" Nina said as she was being dragged along by the Millennium Ring at an unbelievable pace. Which is not a good thing let me tell you, when she was trying to be infuriated with Bakura.

Who did he think he was? Acting as if he knew everything about her?

'_Well, maybe he does…You _do_ share a body, after all'_, purred an unfamiliar almost catlike voice in her mind.

_If there was one flaw in the Millennium Ring, it was this: (and Bakura gleefully didn't tell his hikari)_

"Where the heck did that voice come from?" Nina said looking around, as she sprinted through the forest.

_Although the Millennium Ring can lead you to other Millennium Items accurately…_

"Bakura does not know a single thing about me," Nina continued stubbornly to whoever may be listening. She should have been paying attention to where she was going…

_It did not however, tell you about obstacles in your way…_

"I mean it's not as if we're soulmates- **_OW!_**"

_Like trees._

**End Flashback

* * *

**

"Here, have some sugar. I think you need it Miss I-Need-A-Happy-Pill," Carla said in response to Nina suddenly shouting out of the blue, "YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME!"

O.O;;;

"Eat It. Now." Carla said, poring, some sugar into Nina's hand. She had already eaten her share, and now, her mouth felt pleasantly sweet. She loved sugar. Sugar would be her new love.

"Mmmm," Nina said tentatively eating the handful (she was not the type to eat sugar alone and get sugar-high), "I've never tasted a sugar like this before. It reminds me of when I was little, and I loved eating sugar cubes,"

"Usually, gifts from my Aunt Marie have bad effects, but I guess this is the one exception- Oh my God! Like neat-o!" Carla suddenly said the last part with her brow furrowed. She hadn't said the word neat-o since she was four.

"You know what, I feel weird Carla," Nina said suddenly. "I feel…giddy," Nina gave a high-pitched giggled and then immediately covered her mouth; it had been so long since she had laughed completely carefree…

Both girls felt a weird tingly sensation travel through their bodies, especially near their mind. But it was Carla who heard the music since she had ate the sugar first.

It was so hypnotic…soothing yet it held an underlying threat.

"Aunt Marie strikes again," Carla murmured dazedly as her vision began to become distorted. The music hummed louder, and Carla realized that it was more of a chant than a song. A death chant. How soothing.

By this time, Nina had begun to hear the chant. Seeing as Carla was further along into the weird spell than she, it was she who realized, "Carla, it's not an ordinary song! It's a riddle!"

Indeed, Sherlock.

_You have been given what many sought;  
What explorers over which have fought,  
Yet a gift or a blight-  
An awful curse or a bless'd light?  
Whether you like it or not  
Feel the effects and to hell with you greedy lot!_

"I don't think that's a riddle; I think it's more of a 'hahaha! You fell for our curse, losers!'" Carla said as she fumbled blindly towards Nina as her vision went back and forth. "Neat-o," she murmured as she saw the oak tree go from average size to humongous.

"No, Carla listen to the next verse," Nina said worriedly to her fading friend. What the heck was in that sugar?

_Now that introductions have been made,  
Quickly, before you fade!  
__You have one chance since I'm ever so kind-  
Answer this to redeem your sorry behind!_

"Take this and start writing Carla; you write the neatest! I'll proofread," Nina said urgently, tossing Carla a pen and her scrapbook. She really did not want to 'fade' whatever that meant…

If Carla had not been so detached from reality, what with her changing vision and the prickling sensation filling every molecule of her being unpleasantly, she would have smugly commented on some of Nina's new drawings of a certain thief filling quite a few pages. However, it was all she could doto write exactly what the mocking song was saying.

_If you break me,  
I do not stop working,  
If you touch me,  
I may be snared,  
But if you lose me,  
Nothing will matter._

"Nothing will matter…" murmured Carla as she scribbled messily on the paper. She was finding it hard to focus and write down the riddle. The only way she could describe this sensationwas by saying that it felt like she was forgetting how to write. She handed the sketchbook and the pen to Nina while she thought as hard as she could over the puzzling riddle. _What could keep working even if it was broken…But if lost, nothing would matter…_

Carla pondered over this and using past experiences of riddles, she remembered what Yami- who although was a cheating bastard, he _was_ the King of Games- had told her about riddles, "The answer is usually right in front of you, _querida_ Carla. You just have to stop thinking so hard, and think logically."

So that meant it should be easy…She looked at the Millennium Puzzle and her heart rate picked up.

It hit her.

"It's a-" Unfortunately, Carla never got to say what the answer was because the tingling sensation had turn into a tingling fire in her throat. When she tried to write it down she realized two things: **a) **The pen had run out of ink and** b) **even if it hadn't she wouldn't be able to write the answer down because she had forgotten how to. She was effectively helpless.

She lay her head down on the grass in defeat as a lone tear trickled down her cheek. It was horrible to know the answer to stop this bizarre, unpleasant spell yet be unable to use it. Carla even tried to tell Yami, just for Nina's sake, but the spell cut the link off.

Damn Aunt Marie. Damn Yami.Damn it all!

For Nina, however, all was not done; the music had a special verse just for her,

_Listen, you little bratty one,  
The final clue lies with your guardian,  
Know this and you'll be done!_

As her vision started to become distorted as well, she knew she had precious time left. She had to write it down so the Yamis could figure it out. But with what? She had no ink, and she left her other pencils in her luggage. In desperation, Nina thought what would Bakura do in her situation.

She slowly looked at her hand, knowing what she would have to do, but was utterly repulsed at the idea. It was disgusting, barbaric, so twistedly bizarre-!

Bakura would've been proud.

She grabbed the spiral of her sketchbook and untwisted a part so there was a sharp point in front of her. She closed her eyes and jabbed that sharp point into her index finger. Wincing, Nina opened her eyes to feel the warm blood starting to trickle down. She messily wrote out (trying not to think that the red ink was her blood) 'listen, you little bratty one/ the final clue lies with your guardian' into a free page of her sketchbook. And then she lost her train of thought as she collapsed beside Carla, now utterly as helpless as she was.

Now it was up to the Yamis to figure out the riddle and stop whatever this spell was.

Both hikari girls knew they were screwed.

Azure eyes met rich mahogany as both felt comfort in the other while the tingling sensation became unbearable as if it were trying to do something in the world it shouldn't. Before Nina lost complete control of her body, she placed a dainty hand on top of her tanned friend's, and gave a weak smile.

Carla's last thought before the white hot tingling consumed her was an odd one. It was a rather immature one at that and foreshadowed what trouble was to come: 'I hope I take Yami down with me because this is SO not neat-o!'

Off in the distance, the Yamis heard the high-pitched screams of terror. Little did they know, that when they would encounter their hikaris they would want to start bawling with them…

* * *

Hmm…Now, what was the spell? (Read back a few chapters; I left you hints!) And if you can figure out the riddle then cookies for you, because I couldn't when I first found it! I know the spell song was bad, but I am not a poet…

Anyways, 'till next time! Next chapter will be extremely funny, I promise (tee hee, the spell)!

Really, if I get enough reviews I will update faster! (Or if I don't, I'll be updating my others, and leave this one off for some weeks…you decide!) Happy Summer to all!

Starlet36

Oh yeah, as a surprise (and as a first) I personally answered all the reviews last chapter! Maybe, I'll do it next chapter too… (Do you like personalized responses? Because I'll stop if you don't)

**Horus the bfd lv999: **Wow, thanks, I feel special! Oh, and you have my permission to print this out and add it to your book (it might be a tad long though…)! Please keep reading and have another imaginary chocolate chip cookie! Lol.

**Theeternitycode:**:) Thanx for the review! Um, if you don't mind me asking though, do you mean my blobby commentaries or my a/ns?

**Chaostenshi:** Wow, that must've taken a while! So I'll be sure to update soon,  
O  
Ok  
Oka  
Okay! (Maybe that's not the same thing, but I tried!)

**AnimeFreak: **Thanks for the motivational review! Your reviews are one of my favorites to read!

**Yugirules: **Thanks for the 'happy birthday'! I know this chapter isn't all that funny, but next chapter (smirk) will be funny…I hope. (Run Yami and Bakura, run!)

**Mrs. Bakura: **Love the name. And I'm done with exams (Thank GOD!) so I'll be writing more!

**TheRhythmofLife:** Yay, candy! I love your little equation, and yes, as you can see Yami is very dead or soon will be. Tee hee, go Carla!

**GiVeMeThEdAmNsUgAr82: **I hoped you liked this chapter too:D

**Kawaiilover300:** Um, I live in Florida, but I'll leave it up to you to guess everything else, 'kay? Thanks for reviewing!

**Sarah the Slayer:** Aww, don't feel too bad over them…it's funny! (Bakura and Yami: We'll kill you! Me: Um, maybe I was to harsh? Gotta go!) Anyways, (sniff) thanks so much for the dedication in your story; I feel so special! Good luck to you as a writer!

**Asaake:** I have updated and will try to update ASAP! Thanks for your review!

**Everlyn Chan:** Your reviews are probably the most feedbackish (word?), funniest, and one of my favorites to read! I guess I love to make Kura-chan very, ahem, sarcastic and blunt! I was hoping someone would laugh on the Speedo line!

**The Incredible Emo Kid:** I know how you feel about Spanish; it was my last exam (is that cheating if I'm already Spanish? Eh, apparently I'm only half-fluent and my family says I have an American accent) Thank for the 'happy b-day' and the review!

**Panmotto:** I even laughed when I read over my ficlet (which is kinda pathetic when you think about it…) Sssshhhh don't give it away; you're too perceptive:)

**Pugz:** Men: can't live with them, can't live without them! Thanks for the review!

**Dreamistress Jade: **Thanks for reviewing and I hope you weren't late to school! But um, Nina's 14 as mentioned in the 1st chapter...but age doesn't play a huge role here anyways, so it doesn't really matter!I hoped you liked this chapter too!


	13. Epic Proportions

It's been a while hasn't it? Heh heh he…Eep, don't hurt me! I haven't updated in more than a month for good reasons though! (Laptop died. With stories. Zilch inspiration. Traveled a lot.)

Still, I'm really sorry. I'll try to never do that again…and if I do, feel free to mob me!

Damn, you people are way too smart. (Bakura: Or you're just stupid…Me: Shut it.) Almost all of you guessed the first part of the riddle! Alas, I retained some dignity when no one guessed the second half!

Sorry, if it's not as funny as I promised. I've been going through a writers' block with this story…I guess I'm starting to doubt my own ability to write, but enough about my doubts!

Disclaimer: Nope. Still, don't own.

This chapter is dedicated to my classmate Peter because as he never stopped doing what he loved…I knew I had to keep doing what I love. Writing stories that make people laugh. R.I.P. Peter

Plz enjoy.

* * *

"Cute but psycho. Things even out." -Happy Bunny

* * *

Any Yami who's been one for more than a minute realizes the golden rule of Hikari/Yami relationships. 

If they're not happy, they'll as sure as hell make sure that _you're_ not happy.

So, as you can see by the two young men, or should I say really lecherous old guys in young bodies…

Oh God. That sounds _so_ wrong.

Moving on from the authoress stabbing her eyes out, as any bimbo could see, by the two _Yamis_ clutching their heads as if some psycho was gleefully pounding their heads with an anvil…they were not happy.

Thus, their enthusiasm to make those girls to shut up was potent.

But how to get to said wailing hikaris? Ah, therein lay the problem.

You see, a wild, enormous forest filled with prickly branches, entangling weeds just waiting to trip you, trees so creepy they looked about to eat you, not to mention so dense that sunlight had to fight for a few measly rays…stood between the two teenaged Egyptians...(who are in fact 5,000 years old and thus this sounds really perverted, but no one cares how naughty this sounds as long as they remain hot and refuse to wear shirts)…and their screaming, underage hikaris. (A/N: My English teacher would cry at this sentence structure)

Now, to all you romantics, who dream of bare-chested, handsome men sweeping you off into the sunset in their tanned, muscled, sexy arms…you don't see any obstacle a wee little forest can be to two Yamis who must save their damsel hikaris in distress.

…You guys need to get a life.

As the two young men (let's just leave it at that) were searching for ways to get through the forest Millennium-Item-less to save their counterparts -okay, okay, Yami was the only one who wanted to save his hikari. Bakura, meanwhile, was reeling from the noise in his head, not caring an iota as to how the brat was doing. He just wanted to find the damn girl…and then murder her slowly.

His nurturing skills should be a role model to all.

Then again, Yami's bright rescue idea involved mind-controlling a nearby squirrel and then launching said squirrelfrom a makeshift tree catapult into the woods. Once, contact had been established between Yami/squirrel and the girls, communication would be attempted.

It was _genius_.

Um.

Yeah, having a screaming girl in your head can cloud your judgment just a tad.

Apparently deciding he didn't want to be in the company of a guy muttering about launching a squirrel, and another albino guy staggering around promising murder, Charlie quickly approached the Yamis to say goodbye.

"I will _KILL_ that damn brat!"

"Well, you all seem to be jolly busy, so I don't want to be a burden-"

"If I launch the squirrel from that palm tree…Oi! Come back here, you hooligan; I neeeed youuuu!"

"I guess I'll be going now then," Charlie hinted, as he tugged impatiently at his long-sleeved, way-too-big jacket. (Odd. It was boiling out here.) No one was paying attention.

"Kill!"

"Squirrel!"

Honestly, there's only so much one can take, no matter how easygoing you may seem.

"LISTEN UP, BITCHES," Charlie bellowed, his blue eyes livid with a thunderous anger that didn't seem right on the polite man, let alone any human. The jacket lifted and the Yamis glimpsed a clenched, oddly radiating fist.

This tidbit of Charlie showing a side from I-bake-cookies-for-old-people to I-will-crush-your-soul-and-set-you-ablaze failed to catch Yami and Bakura's attention.

However, being called a 'bitch' totally did.

"What'd you say, boy?" growled Yami in his most chilling voice. The air around him seemed to ripple with darkness as the shadows ached to mind-crush something. Yami, of course, held them back being the noble soul he was.

Nonetheless, he let the air-shimmering substance linger around Charlie's foot, almost seeming to be in a loving embrace. Let that little bastard _try_ to escape.

He was a pharaoh, not a saint, okay?

Bakura, meanwhile, had his eyes narrowed into slits, as his fist was pure white from clenching the hilt of his sword so tightly. His arms twitched, fighting the urge to gut the twit. (It'd be so messy. He'd have to bring the brat with him while he ran off to Mexico due to the 'bond' I-can't-be-too-far-from-you complication)

Plus, he could barely think straight. Nina had a much higher decibel pitch than Carla did.

'Good. He had their attention.' Almost as if the outburst had never happened, Good Charlie was back with an infuriating polite smile. "It was nice meeting you then," he said, his smile widening so bizarrely after bellowing at the Yamis, that they were caught off guard. Both stared at him with undisguised suspicion as they made sure their eyes didn't move an inch from his for any sign. He continued smiling. Damn him.

"Do me a favor guys, _live_ life to the fullest," Charlie said, his eerily blue eyes almost twinkling. Yami and Bakura said nothing, yet they both glowered at the teenager as if he was a bug they longed to squish. The air around Charlie's leg started to tighten threateningly.

"_Only_ you have the power to make a difference," Charlie said, saying the corniest line ever, and sounding more like Smoky the Bear than a teenaged boy. Yami noticed the corniness, but he furrowed his brows on the way he pronounced 'only' to sound like 'onlew'. Maybe it was his accent- his skin was pretty pale for living in Florida…Where was this kid from? Europe? (For the love of Ra, don't be Egypt!)

Before his good conscience could nag him for being paranoid, Bakura had had enough.

"Stop preaching, kid, and get out of my sight before I-!" Bakura broke off his threat as he bent over in pain, rubbing his temple furiously as the brat's voice rose up to a grating, shrill scream.

Charlie looked alarmed as it became clear Bakura had been looking away in pain during most of Charlie's preach…and seemed to be having a truly bad migraine. The young man fidgeted, looking for once, at a lost at what to do. That is, until Bakura recovered a few moments later.

Bakura's dark eyes were wild and unfocused, as he barked angrily, "I TOLD you to get out of my-"

Charlie seized his chance. "_Only_ you have the power to make a difference," he repeated, mispronouncing 'only' once more.

"Just because I'm not looking at your dumb face, Blondie, doesn't mean I didn't hear it the first time!" Bakura retorted acidly. Yami kept a steady frown, but he mentally chuckled as he saw Charlie blanch at his new pet name.

"I think you should go now, Blondie," Yami said softly, the words a request, but by Yami's hard, garnet eyes, it was an order. After lingering so long on the motivational goodbyes, Charlie finally left with a small polite smile still on his face, his stormy blue eyes glowing in triumph.

Now, that Charlie the weirdo was finally gone, Yami turned to the matter at hand. He had a rescue mission to start.

…If he still had a squirrel to launch. Bugger.

Both spirits continued looking around the area for something –at this point _anything_– to get them into the forest quickly enough to reach their hikaris before their brains exploded.

You know that phrase 'be careful what you wish for'. Yeah, the Yamis had never heard it. Desperation can do wonders though.

Both caught the sight at around the same time.

Ah. Perfect.

_Aaaaalleluia!_ Even angels came down from the clouds and sung at the sight...until they realized that this was not Bob's Cheesecake Palace. They left, grumbling. Bloody ponies.

Totally missing the angels singing, resplendent in its roly-poly hide and green-saliva-stained teeth, Buttercup the pony idly chewed grass, all tacked up.

Yami glanced at Bakura. Bakura glanced at Yami.

There was a thoughtful pause where the reader contemplates that maybe the Yamis were going to put their differences aside and be mature about the situation.

And then all hell broke loose.

"SEE YA NEVER, PORKY!" Bakura cackled as he grabbed Yami's swim trunks and pulled them to the ground, exposing his buttocks (and more) to the world. He then ran off to an unsuspecting pony.

A furious, blushing Yami retaliated by pulling the shadows under Bakura's legs, effectively hurling Bakura in front of an unconcerned pony. The ex-Thief King then became the happy receiver of green sticky saliva as Buttercup attempted to eat his fluffy hair.

"Beat that, Fluffy," Yami said, smirking while he started walking to Bakura.

"Oh, I already have," Bakura replied to Yami as the Thief King yanked his precious stained hair out of that pony's teeth.

Bakura glanced at Yami's lower body section where Yami still had failed to pick up his trunks. He quaintly raised an eyebrow, "Not only have I _seen_ better, I know I _am_ better,"

Yami's eyes narrowed into crimson slits as he hastily pulled up his trunks, and one can rest assured that a battle would've erupted then and there, screaming girls or not.

Thus, it was best when Buttercup up and went off into the forest without them, leaving them to run after her, letting us know that all was well in the world.

And that angels like cheesecake.

* * *

"Did you accomplish the task?" 

"Of course," A voice replied, smirking. "They were so distracted with _Charlie_ that I was able to do it right under their noses."

"Very good, my pet," A hand was bent down to fondle the second's hair. "Call the others and begin phase two." Then as an afterthought, "Oh, and you can kill the thief. He annoys me."

_

* * *

WTF?_

That pretty much summed up the two Yamis' thoughts as they saw the sight before them in the little clearing by the stream.

They both dropped open their jaws, stupefied. They glibbered. They gupped. They wanted to cry.

NO. No, no, no, no, _no_!

They couldn't be-! No, it was impossible-!

But there it was.

Yami's eyes were bulging in terror while Bakura fought the urge to sob.

"They're..." Bakura started in horror as he choked on the next word. He continued bravely, nearly wailing the next word, "_toddlers_!"

"I WANT! I WANT MY MOOOMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYY!" screamed the little four-year-old chibi Nina in confirmation.

"Maybe, they're toddlers that got lost?" Yami asked, hopeful.

"Then why are Nina's and Carla's clothes over them, moron? And why are those exact screams in our heads as well?" Bakura asked tiredly as he peered at the miniature Nina.

Resigned, Yami's shoulders slumped and he walked over to a crying chibi Carla, whose only difference from the older version (beside the obvious one), was that she had shorter hair cut cleanly below the ears…and uh, by the bottom starting to peek out of the now-huge jeans…was stark naked.

"Hey, little one, don't cry," Yami crooned softly as he rubbed the back of the thrashing toddler. "My name is Yami. Do you know what happened, Carla?"

Little Carla raised her head and peered intelligently at Yami, "No...M'not little, Yam," she stated stubbornly. Yami gave a reluctant chuckle as he picked up the toddler, wrapped in her own tank top and jeans like a taco.

"Where mommy?" she asked pitifully as Yami picked up Nina's sketchbook and waved Bakura over, who was still trying to uneasily approach his own hikari.

"Uh…" Yami said distractedly as he started to read the words left on the page.

"WHERE MOMMY?" Carla yelled, panicking.

And that was where she was saved…because her cell phone rang with her mother on caller ID.

* * *

Bakura sighed heavily; it was very hard to murder a person if they were just so darn adorable. 

He tried to be nice. "Listen, brat, do me a favor and shut up, 'kay?" Nina continued shrieking heedless. Bakura held the bridge of his nose, and started doing that Yoga stuff you're supposed to do in these situations. You know, think positive. Yami falling into a vat of toxic waste…Nina becoming a mute…Him taking over the world with all the Millennium Items…Nina being a pretty blonde with her huge blue eyes and enlarged- (blush) Errr…How did that get there?

For some bizarre reason this method didn't work wither.

Rubbing his knuckles against his forehead, Bakura lowered himself on his stomach so he lay on the grass, while resting his aching head on his arms. He observed the screeching banshee, being suddenly reminded of Amane's reaction when she refused to eat her vegetables. And then when Bakura commented on how childish she had been acting, she flung the bowl of vegetables at his face saying dryly, "I _am_ a child, doofus,"

He didn't realize that the shrieks were subsiding.

Bakura then remembered him chasing her outside while she howled to anyone who passed that her brother was secretly in love with the Vegetable vender lady (who just _happened_ to have passed by). He smiled, shaking his head.

"Hee hee," giggled a sudden musical light voice. Bakura's eyes widened, shocked at the owner. "She funny. What's your name?"

"Bakura," he answered, shaking the small hand, a small rueful smile gracing his face.

"Pwetty smile!" Nina giggled, clapping her hands.

Bakura remembered himself. "Tell anyone and you die!"

"Okay!"

* * *

Oh drat. 

Yami fumbled with the cell phone in Carla's jeans. He wouldn't have answered it if Carla hadn't promised earlier to keep her cell phone with her at all times in exchange to not going shopping with Aunt Marie and Family the next town over. Double drat.

"Carlita?"

"Is that Mommy?" Carla asked. Yami patted her head in reassurance, wanting to curl himself into the fetal position and ask for his own Mommy.

Oh Ra. He couldn't believe he was about to do this. "Hey, Mama! What's up?" he said in his girliest voice. He might as well as painted his nails pink and dressed like a Barbie.

"Just came to tell you we're being delayed in the next city…you're going to be on your own for a day…Is that okay?"

"That IS Mommy! Gimme!" Little hands vied for the phone. Yami proceeded to fight with a four-year-old.

"Of course it is, like OMG, Nina and I will be totally okay!" Yami did his impression of a Valley Girl. He could totally pull off his Ex. Not.

"…Are you okay Carlita? Who's that in the background? Your voice sounds like you've been sucking helium and your word choice is atrocious! Maybe you're coming down with something! Ay no! I'll come over right away and-"

Uh-oh. "NO! I'm fine Mama; I've just been talking a lot with Nina! Stop clawing at me Car-Nina! Gotta-go-Nina's-calling-again-Love-ya!" Click.

At least no one other than the chibi had heard.

"Very smooth, Pharaoh," Bakura said, smirking, hearing everything as he balanced a bikini-and-pants-wrapped-burrito-style chibi on his hip. "Like OMG!" he squealed mockingly.

"Shut it," Yami growled. He soothed a sniffling Carla with the nearest truth he could say. "She'll be back tomorrow. 'Till then I'll take care of you, okay?" Giving Yami a look that clearly said 'then why didn't you just say so?', Carla got quiet.

"Did you read the riddle, tomb robber?" Yami asked, trying to be civil for the sake of these innocent hikaris.

"Yup. I'm guessing by your smart-as-" Bakura paused as he saw his wide-eyed chibi drinking in every word. "Smart _expression_ that you know the answer,"

"Correct. Obviously by that _'If you break me/I do not stop working'_ line and that if it's lost nothing will matter…it's a heart, duh." He said, brows furrowed feeling that something was missing…until he spotted the sugar. "Aunt Marie," he muttered as Carla shuddered in recognition. Anything from Aunt Marie was a clue for trouble.

Aunt Marie's sugar…He remembered the day they were packing…she was talking about finding this sugar while she was looking for the Fountain of Youth-

CRAP.

The clue had been there all along! That sugar WAS the supposed Fountain of Youth!

"The sugar is spelled to give back youth," Yami said, sounding dazed as he looked at the half-empty sugar bag, "And they ate it."

"So the sugar turned them into chibis…What does that have to do with the riddle," Bakura said bored, as Nina gave a tentative wave to Carla. Carla waved back. That made it official; they were now best friends forever.

"I'm assuming by Carla's messy handwriting that she must've heard it or something while she was de-aging. We can both see by the words that it is a last-chance antidote activated by the spell,"

Bakura spoke what was on both their minds. "If you're so sure it's a heart then why didn't it change them back, Porky?"

"I don't know, _Fluffy_. It has to be a heart though! I know it," Yami answered stubbornly feeling as if there was a valuable part missing to this puzzle. As if in answer to their questioning a strong breeze picked up and tossed up a piece of paper that had been torn from the wind.

As Nina saw it, she gave a shrill scream of terror, clinging to Bakura, crying. Carla whimpered. Even Yami gave an involuntary shudder. Bakura was the only one who grinned as he read the words streaked haphazardly in blood. (He wouldn't be a Yami if he couldn't distinguish his hikari's blood) The brat finally did something useful.

Yami read it quickly so he could get rid of it. "Since I can guess the riddle means Nina by 'little bratty one' by the hint to your nickname for her (and Carla would rather die than be called little)…So what is the final clue, oh great Guardian!" Yami taunted to Bakura, who obviously didn't have a clue.

A proud Bakura took the dare. "…If it implies that a heart was the first clue…Then, the heart is the base. The final clue should relate to it…Let's see, nowadays, hearts stupidly symbolize…l-" Bakura stopped midway in his musings as an annoyingly familiar voice floated down to his conscience.

"_Maybe you'll even like her, Bakura" Ra said with a wink._

…

_The guardian holds the final clue._

…

_Put 'em together. Guardian Bakura holds the final clue...of l-?_

"NO. That CAN'T be it. Ra is wrong, the spell is wrong- those BAS-err baskets! I don't even _like_ the brat. WHY DOES IT IMPLY THAT _I_ HOLD THE CLUE!" Bakura ranted, livid.

"Are you trying to say it's love, sweetheart?" Yami said, straight-faced.

"Yes- I mean no, dammit! (Nina: Dammit? Cool, new word!) I mean- STOP LOOKING SO SMUG, YOU, YOU-"

"Basket?" Yami filled in, helpfully. Bakura glowered at him. "Seriously though, I guess a spell could naturally assume that you and the elder Nina were…ahem, together in that sense since you both share a binding Hikari/Yami relationship. Just say it so we can see if it works…"

Bakura: **TT**

Hell no.

"C'mon…sweetie, don't mind me! I know, deep down, there lies a softer side to you that wears pink and watches Oprah just waiting to come out," Yami said, his voice syrupy.

"You better sleep with your eyes open tonight, _sweetie_," Bakura growled. But as he glanced at the chibi, obviously in awe of his gravity-defying hair, yanking enthusiastically on his locks of hair, he gave in. "The final clue is love then. L-O-V-E."

Nothing happened.

"Oh, for-" Bakura was saved from teaching Nina a very dirty word, when Yami cut in, "Hmm…so I guess love isn't it. Maybe that was a bit too clichéd? Not to worry, we won't leave until we figure out the clue!"

This dramatic declaration was spoiled by a rumbling tummy. "I'm hunnngrrryyy," Carla whined.

"I'm thirsty!" Nina said as well, getting into the gist of complaining.

"I want real clothes!"

Nina lifted a small fist into the air. "I WANNA GO TO A WATER PARK!"

All: O.O?

"Um…I guess we can use the hikari's money to go to the outlet mall and buy some clothes and lunch…" Yami said.

Nina poked Bakura's chest imperiously. "What?" he barked."Where are we going to find a water park, and who says we'll even _go_," Nina sucked a huge breath of air, her intentions clear.

"On second thought, I think I saw one on the way here…" Yami said quickly as his hikari followed suit.

"You can't be serious," Bakura said, scoffing. "A water park? How lame is that?"

"**DO IT." **came the menacing voices of Nina, Carla, and Yami.

Bakura continued, rolling his eyes, "And afterwards, we can skip and hold hands,"

"Okay!"

He'd rather kiss a-

**

* * *

2 Hours later on the Lazy River at Orangey's Water Adventure Park...**

"I hate you," Bakura muttered in his pink tube as it got gently pushed by the slow current. Nina was perched on his stomach, laughing happily as she held his hand, oblivious to his glares.

"OMG, those two are _soooooo_ cute! Are you like, their brothers?" squealed the only lifeguard as they passed by her.

"No, she's my ex-girlfriend who got magically turned back into a toddler after we broke up," Yami told her as he floated behind Bakura and Nina, lying ontopof a pink tube as well.

"Yeah," Bakura chimed in lazily, enjoying himself. "It gets worse; she used to have boobs,"

Even the best would've freaked out.

"Wow, she runs fast," Carla commented.

And it was _nothing_ compared to the previous hours. The hellions were dressed from their big t-shirts to normal chibi clothing by a bipolar teen named Fran. (**Yami**: We only need one outfit and two bathing suits…**Fran**: YOU _WILL_ TAKE TEN…Okey dokey? **Yami**: Um. Okay.) Afterwards, the chibis stole an umbrella and attempted to jump off the second-story because 'if Mary Poppins can do it then so can I!'…Later, after, the Yamis were recovering from this profound statement, (**Bakura:** I'll just nip off and shoot myself. **Yami:** I dunno about that…but cookie dough works for me. **Bakura:** 'Kay. I'll remember that in hell.), they went out to lunch at the food outlet section. Vying for something that didn't have ketchup put in a smiley face on your bun, Bakura and Yami went to the neighboring Yummy Yummy Chinese.

…Then after the hikaris were left wondering why they were holding their Yamis' hair and why in the world the toilets were different there...the Yamis quaintly re-dubbed the fast food place Yummy Yummy Death.

It was no wonder then that the boys looked half-dead as they floated down the Lazy River.

Yami was so relaxed that his bottom and lower stomach were immersed in the river water, leaving Carla to cling to his neck, clutching the Puzzle he gave her to keep busy ("Neat-o Puzzle!"). Ahhh…This felt gooooood.

"Hey, Yami," Carla poked his face. When that didn't work, Carla was left with no choice but to fling the icy cold water at Yami's dry face. Splash.

"WHAT THE-" Yami sprung up and almost capsized the tube.

Ignoring his sputtering, Carla continued calmly, "I haff to pee,"

Yami sighed, exasperated. "Now? We're not done with the river yet,"

Carla crossed her little arms and gave him a glare that was uncannily similar to her older self. Yami felt himself start to cower under the petite toddler's gaze. "Fine, we'll get out here…stupid water was getting cold, anyways."

They didn't see the blue eyes watching the pair, smiling as the rings on his hand glinted. They spelled 'pain'.

It suited.

* * *

Meanwhile, Nina had exhausted the wonders of Bakura's hair and his Millennium Ring, and she'd tired of watching the freshwater and seeing if she could find a 'fishie'. She was simply tired of just sitting on Bakura's stomach…she wanted to see some action. 

She was bored.

And a bored chibi was a dangerous chibi.

Up ahead, there was a rickety wooden fence blocking the part of the river where the current picked up and got dangerous. The aging fence was littered with cautioning signs such as 'DANGER', 'WATERFALL AND ROCKS AHEAD', 'STRONG CURRENT', and most especially, 'DO NOT ENTER!'.

Good thing Nina couldn't read.

Her azure eyes sparkled as she saw a narrow opening between two panels of the fence. An opening that a small child could just squeeze through.

But one would have to be totally insane to attempt such a stupid feat.

Nina grinned. Fishies!

Or a bored chibi.

* * *

Yami and his petite counterpart walked through the natural landscape, rudely interrupted by cement and unnatural water slides. 

"I wish they dinnit put it here," Carla said, craning her head up to Yami's face.

"Why?" Yami asked wearily, still a tad annoyed at the chibi.

"Cuz it's too pwetty," Carla replied sadly. Yami, for once, really looked at the little girl. So petite she barely reached his hip. Her small pudgy hands clasped firmly around his. She looked delicate, breakable. But her eyes were bright and intelligent. Fierce.

'She may be young, but she's still Carla'. Yami gave a small smile as he gently squeezed Carla's hand. "You're pretty smart,"

"I know," she said, smiling. "You haff to go now though."

"Why?" Yami thought they were having a bonding moment!

"Um…boys aren't allowed into the girls bathroom, duh."

"Oh," Yami said noticing the odd looks he was getting from mothers scurrying their girls by. "I'll wait outside then," Carla smiled at him as he left.

'_He's pwetty dumb…but he's nice.'_

Damn. Even four-year-olds didn't appreciate him!

Yami sat in a nearby bench, away from all the park-goers, sulking. He missed the way things were. Carla as his girlfriend. Bakura in hell. Was that so much to ask?

Perhaps it was. Because the next moment Yami found someone gagging his mouth as strong hands grabbed his arms and legs. He tried to conjure the Shadows but somehow these attackers nullified it.

"Why, hello, honey…MOVE AND YOU GET YOUR BRAINS BASHED."

Yami thrashed, kicked, yelled, bit, and spat.

One can only assume this qualified as movement…because the next moment Yami found his brains bashed by a fist.

OW.

* * *

Bakura was half-asleep when he felt that he was missing something. He began to stir as the nagging feeling grew, making him unable to sleep. 

Odd. He had everything. Clothes? Check. Tube? Duh. What the hell _was_ it?

"Hey, brat, can you check and see if I'm missing something?" Bakura said lazily, not bothering to open his eyes.

"…"

"Brat?"

"…"

Bakura became annoyed. "Look, kid, when someone asks you a question-!"

As Bakura heard a faint giggle, he immediately opened his eyes, ready to give that chibi a piece of his mind.

…OMG.

Bakura's eyes nearly popped out of his head. It became all too clear what he was missing.

It was a diabolical toddler waving goodbye as she slipped under a barrier fence…A fence that led to a strong current, a rocky bottom, raging waterfall, and certain death.

Rolling his eyes, Bakura jumped after her without a second thought.

* * *

For a few moments all Yami could see were red spots. He felt something sticky at the back of his head and realized that whoever had whacked him with his or her fist wore many rings…Bloody hell, that hurt. 

Still, he held no regrets; he felt immense satisfaction in hearing a groan of pain as his foot had connected with something soft and fleshy.

But that turned to horror as he heard a somewhat familiar voice whisper mockingly in his ear, "Such a shame really. She's a pretty little thing,"

The world was distorted from the pain, but he could still make out a small figure exiting the bathroom. A small figure who had a Millennium Puzzle, and was asking for a 'Yami'.

NO.

"Don hu hur her!" Yami cried out against the gag, uselessly.

"Then don't make any trouble," a polite voice answered.Yami felt sickened as his insides turned to ice at the thought of those brutes touching her.

"Yami?" Carla asked quietly, looking around. Yami felt torn knowing he was only a few feet in front of her, trapped in the bushes. He saw a blurred figure approach her.

"HRLA! HUN!" he tried to cry out, futilely. He felt his disgust only increase as he recognized the voice who approached her. He should've known.

"Why, hello, sweetie," the female said.

"Hi." Carla said, totally oblivious. "Where Yami?"

"Yami just told me to take care of you. Come with me," the youngwoman held out a hand and a lollipop, and Carla, being the innocent fool she was, thought nothing suspicious.

"He be back soon, right?" Carla asked, sucking on a lollipop.

The woman looked directly at the bush where furious crimson eyes met stormy blue. "He might be a little held up," The woman made a stabbing motion with her hand behind Carla's back. That was the last straw for Yami.

Yami spat out the remains of the bitten gag in front of a male he now recognized, howling, "GO TO HELL, YOU TWO-TIMING BITCH!"

Two pairs of fists came into view. A familiar male voice spoke gruffly. "Did we mention that slandering our sister really upsets us? I'm afraid your only option left is eternal damnation and pain. I hope that's alright with you,"

Yami was unconscious before he even hit the ground.

* * *

'Remind me never to have kids,' Bakura noted to himself as his foot caught yet another rock when he swam after the oblivious chibi. At least the brat had buoys attached to her bathing suit to keep afloat. 

He picked up the pace as he started to hear the roar of the waterfall up ahead. "Try to grab one of those rocks to hold onto! You're about to go over a waterfall, nitwit!" Bakura yelled. Nina gave a smile as the current twirled her around.

"Whazzat?" was her only response.

Bakura wanted to strangle her. He only had a few precious moments left before the current would get too strong. "Let me make it simple. YOU ARE GOING TO DIE- What the?" A fishing net caught the chibi in midtwirl and fished her out. A young man was on the receiving end of the net as he pulled the chibi out of the net.

"I was told it would only take one person, but still, I expected more of a fight," the man pouted. "Kitchy coo, little Nina," he gushedwhile he tickled under her chin. Nina immediately trusted him. Bakura tried to stay in one place but found that it was too late at this point; the current was too strong.

"Who the hell are you!" Bakura barked before getting water up his nose.

Surprisingly, he complied. "My name is Ivan. And unfortunately for you, you're not liked enough to be kept alive. So you're going to die." He said this very calmly, inspecting his nails with one hand as he held Nina with the other.

Ivan tossed the fishing net, now useless, into the water. He held up one of Nina's little hands, "Wave bye, bye!"

"Bye, bye, 'Kura! Have fun!" Nina waved clueless, as her Yami was swept off by the current.

"Don't worry, she won't be harmed by _me_," Ivan said, stroking Nina's hair like she was an adored pet. Bakura began to disappear as the waterfall loomed. Ivan gave a final small smile as Bakura's death seemed imminent…There was something about that smile, that monstrous smile, so familiar…Bakura's eyes widened in horrified recognition. It was his own. The one he used before he murdered his victims. Damn, damn, damn. That hikari was screwed.

"YOU TOLD ME YOU WOULDN'T HURT HER, YOU MOTHER-" Bakura was interrupted as he fell into the foggy abyss, his last sight, a giggling hikari while a smiling Ivan mouthed, 'I lied,'.

* * *

I'm very sorry if it wasn't that good or as funny as I promised. I'm really trying, but it's so hard to force yourself to write during a writers' block. I hope you guys don't mind the long chapter. Guess who the attackers are (I left hints!) and you get a fake cookie! 

Anyways, I've posted my reviewers' responses on my bio (if you guys want to read 'em) to save some space.

I must say tho, that it was really those people who kept asking me to update that made me keep writing! So thanx. (glomps alarmed readers) Until next chapter, my readers (huggles you all to death)

-.-;;; I hope I didn't scare you all from dropping a review! Plz, review!

-Starlet36


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